Wurtele Thrust Stage / Sept 10 – Oct 29, 2016

adapted by KATE HAMILL based on the novel by JANE AUSTEN STUDY GUIDE Inside

THE PLAY Synopsis and Characters • 3 Meet the Characters • 5 Comments on the Novel • 7

THE AUTHOR Jane Austen: A Literary Context • 10 About the Author • 12 Jane Austen in Her Own Words • 15 On Jane Austen’s Work • 16

CULTURAL CONTEXT Do you live in a cottage? • 17 The Sensibility Sensation • 18 A Selected Glossary of Terms • 20 About the Adaptor and Director • 24 A Conversation with Kate Hamill and Sarah Rasmussen • 26

THE GUTHRIE PRODUCTION Notes from the Creative Team • 28

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION For Further Understanding • 30

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DRAMATURG Carla Steen GRAPHIC DESIGNER Akemi Waldusky RESEARCH Jillian Jensen, Dan Burson, Landon Randolph, Ailsa Staub, Carla Steen

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points to an imminent proposal, Willoughby abruptly leaves for Synopsis London on business for his aunt. The whole family – especially Upon the sudden death of Mr. He introduces them to their new Marianne – is left confused and Dashwood, his son John inherits neighbors, including Sir John’s devastated. After a short visit from his estate of Norland, and with nosy but loving mother-in-law Mrs. Edward Ferrars rekindles his and it, a large fortune. John’s father Jennings, and the kind-hearted Elinor’s affections, Mrs. Jennings gives him one command, to Colonel Brandon. It is evident to introduces the sisters Lucy and “provide for your stepmother and all that the Colonel is immediately Anne Steele. Lucy confides to her her daughters.” After John’s wife taken with Marianne, but she does new “friend” Elinor that Mr. Edward Fanny convinces him otherwise, not share his affection because of Ferrars is actually her secret fiancé. the Dashwood girls – sensible his advanced age of 35. Elinor must now keep Lucy’s secret Elinor, romantic Marianne and the while also hiding her own love for young Margaret – and their mother After taking a fall during a walk, Edward. are left nearly destitute. However, Marianne is rescued by Mr. John their sister-in-law does have one Willoughby, a suave and handsome Mrs. Jennings offers to take the redeeming quality: her handsome, young man. It is revealed that Dashwoods with her to London if shy, brother Mr. Edward Ferrars. he is expected to inherit a large for the fashionable winter season. The eldest sister, Elinor, quickly fortune from his aunt as well as her Marianne enthusiastically agrees, captures his attention. nearby estate. Willoughby begins Elinor less so, but accompanies to woo Marianne, much to her her sister to London anyway. The Dashwood women are forced delight. Elinor keeps Willoughby Marianne finally finds Willoughby to leave their home at Norland and Marianne in check, cautious and discovers he is engaged for a cheaper cottage across of her sister’s sensibilities and to another, much richer, lady. England, generously provided by Willoughby’s smooth-talking While Marianne languishes, their boisterous cousin, Sir John. manner. Then, just when every sign Colonel Brandon discloses the

GUTHRIE THEATER \ 3 THE PLAY

PHOTO: LAUREN MUELLER

Jolly Abraham and Alejandra Escalante

PHOTO: DAN NORMAN

Members of the cast of Sense & Sensibility

truth to Elinor: Marianne is not Robert. Edward is befriended by instead of for love. Elinor takes pity, the only woman Willoughby has Colonel Brandon, who offers him but knows his very presence could deceived – Brandon’s young ward, the vicarage on his estate. Soon, it shock her sister into even greater the daughter of his childhood is time to leave London and return peril. Full of misery, Willoughby sweetheart, received Willoughby’s home, but Mrs. Jennings insists on leaves the house and never sees affections as well. Marianne a quick stop to visit her younger Marianne again. Colonel Brandon chooses to look past her lover’s daughter’s family, the Palmers. arrives with Mrs. Dashwood and misconduct and continues to pine Marianne objects – she is not sees Marianne through her illness. for Willoughby. only anxious to be home, but the Her feelings for Willoughby give Palmers’ home is much too close way to affection for Brandon. John Dashwood visits his to Willoughby. Colonel Brandon stepsisters in London. He invites obligingly accompanies them so Edward arrives to reveal that, after the girls to a party with the Steeles, that the girls can have a chance to his fortune was lost, Lucy Steele where they finally meet Fanny and continue their journey homeward set her heart on his brother Robert Edward’s mother, the formidable with a chaperone. and now the two are married. Mrs. Ferrars. During the party, Lucy Edward is at last free to propose to again confides in Elinor about While at the Palmers’ home, Elinor, which she happily accepts. her feelings for Edward. Then, though, Marianne is caught walking Marianne also accepts the Colonel’s scandal erupts. While on a visit in a storm and falls dangerously ill. hand. to Mr. and Mrs. John Dashwood, When Brandon leaves to retrieve Anne Steele tells Fanny about her mother, a drunken Willoughby Lucy and Edward’s engagement. arrives to see Marianne. He is When Edward chooses to stand stopped just in time by Elinor. He by the engagement, he is cast out confesses to her that he truly loved from his family, and his inheritance Marianne the whole time, but felt is given to his younger brother too pressured to marry for wealth

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Meet the Characters As described by Jane Austen in Sense and Sensibility

but as she had already imbibed a not handsome, and his manners good deal of Marianne’s romance, required intimacy to make them without having much of her sense, pleasing. He was too diffident to she did not, at thirteen, bid fair do justice to himself; but when his to equal her sisters at a more natural shyness was overcome, his advanced period of life. behaviour gave every indication PHOTO: LAUREN MUELLER of an open, affectionate heart. Jolly Abraham and Alejandra Escalante MRS. DASHWOOD His understanding was good, and So acutely did Mrs. Dashwood his education had given it solid feel this ungracious behavior, and improvement. But he was neither ELINOR DASHWOOD so earnestly did she despise her fitted by abilities nor disposition Elinor, this eldest daughter, whose daughter-in-law for it, that, on the to answer the wishes of his advice was so effectual, possessed arrival of the latter, she would have mother and sister, who longed to a strength of understanding, and quitted the house for ever, had see him distinguished—as—they coolness of judgment, which not the entreaty of her eldest girl hardly knew what. They wanted qualified her, though only nineteen, induced her first to reflect on the him to make a fine figure in the to be the counsellor of her mother, propriety of going, and her own world in some manner or other. and enabled her frequently to tender love for all her three children His mother wished to interest counteract, to the advantage of determined her afterwards to stay, him in political concerns, to get them all, that eagerness of mind and for their sakes avoid a breach him into parliament, or to see in Mrs. Dashwood which must with their brother. him connected with some of the generally have led to imprudence. great men of the day. Mrs. John She had an excellent heart;—her JOHN AND FANNY DASHWOOD Dashwood wished it likewise; disposition was affectionate, and He was not an ill-disposed young but in the mean while, till one of her feelings were strong; but she man, unless to be rather cold these superior blessings could be knew how to govern them: it was a hearted and rather selfish is to be attained, it would have quieted knowledge which her mother had ill-disposed: but he was, in general, her ambition to see him driving a yet to learn; and which one of her well respected; for he conducted barouche. But Edward had no turn sisters had resolved never to be himself with propriety in the for great men or barouches. All taught. discharge of his ordinary duties. his wishes centered in domestic Had he married a more amiable comfort and the quiet of private MARIANNE DASHWOOD woman, he might have been made life. Fortunately he had a younger Marianne’s abilities were, in many still more respectable than he brother who was more promising. respects, quite equal to Elinor’s. was:—he might even have been COLONEL BRANDON She was sensible and clever; but made amiable himself; for he was Colonel Brandon, the friend of Sir eager in everything: her sorrows, very young when he married, and John, seemed no more adapted by her joys, could have no moderation. very fond of his wife. But Mrs. John resemblance of manner to be his She was generous, amiable, Dashwood was a strong caricature friend, than Lady Middleton was to interesting: she was everything but of himself;—more narrow-minded be his wife, or Mrs. Jennings to be prudent. The resemblance between and selfish. Lady Middleton’s mother. He was her and her mother was strikingly silent and grave. His appearance great. EDWARD FERRARS however was not unpleasing, in Edward Ferrars was not spite of his being in the opinion of MARGARET DASHWOOD recommended to their good Marianne and Margaret an absolute Margaret, the other sister, was a opinion by any peculiar graces old bachelor, for he was on the good-humored, well-disposed girl; of person or address. He was wrong side of five and thirty; but

GUTHRIE THEATER \ 5 THE PLAY though his face was not handsome, full of jokes and laughter, and Characters his countenance was sensible, before dinner was over had said and his address was particularly many witty things on the subject of ELINOR DASHWOOD, the eldest gentlemanlike. lovers and husbands; hoped they Dashwood siste had not left their hearts behind JOHN WILLOUGHBY them in Sussex, and pretended to MARIANNE DASHWOOD, the His manly beauty and more see them blush whether they did middle Dashwood sister than common gracefulness were or not. instantly the theme of general MARGARET DASHWOOD, the admiration, and the laugh which his LADY MIDDLETON youngest Dashwood sister gallantry raised against Marianne Lady Middleton was not more than received particular spirit from his six or seven and twenty; her face MRS. DASHWOOD, their mother exterior attractions.— Marianne was handsome, her figure tall and herself had seen less of his person striking, and her address graceful. JOHN DASHWOOD, half-brother to than the rest, for the confusion Her manners had all the elegance the Dashwood sisters which crimsoned over her face, which her husband’s wanted. But on his lifting her up, had robbed they would have been improved EDWARD FERRARS, a bachelor her of the power of regarding him by some share of his frankness gentleman after their entering the house. and warmth; and her visit was long But she had seen enough of him enough to detract something from FANNY (FERRARS) DASHWOOD, to join in all the admiration of the their first admiration, by shewing wife to John Dashwood and others, and with an energy which that, though perfectly well-bred, sister to Edward always adorned her praise. His she was reserved, cold, and had person and air were equal to what nothing to say for herself beyond COLONEL BRANDON, an older her fancy had ever drawn for the the most common-place inquiry or bachelor hero of a favourite story; and in his remark. carrying her into the house with JOHN WILLOUGHBY, an unusually so little previous formality, there ANNE STEELE handsome young man was a rapidity of thought which This specimen of the Miss Steeles particularly recommended the was enough. The vulgar freedom SIR JOHN MIDDLETON, a country action to her. Every circumstance and folly of the eldest left her no gentleman; distant relation to belonging to him was interesting. recommendation, and as Elinor Mrs. Dashwood His name was good, his residence was not blinded by the beauty, or was in their favourite village, and the shrewd look of the youngest, MRS. JENNINGS, a good-natured, she soon found out that of all to her want of real elegance and boisterous woman; mother-in- manly dresses a shooting-jacket artlessness, she left the house law to Sir John was the most becoming. without any wish of knowing them better. LADY MIDDLETON, Mrs. Jennings’ SIR JOHN MIDDLETON daughter; an over-bred lady Sir John Middleton was a good LUCY STEELE looking man about forty. He had Lucy was naturally clever; her LUCY STEELE, a young girl from formerly visited at Stanhill, but it remarks were often just and no fortune was too long for his young cousins amusing; and as a companion to remember him. His countenance for half an hour Elinor frequently ANNE STEELE, Lucy’s older sister was thoroughly good-humoured; found her agreeable; but her and his manners were as friendly as powers had received no aid from ROBERT FERRARS, a callow young the style of his letter. education: she was ignorant and man; Edward Ferrars’ younger illiterate; and her deficiency of all brother MRS. JENNINGS mental improvement, her want of Mrs. Jennings, Lady Middleton’s information in the most common mother, was a good-humoured, particulars, could not be concealed merry, fat, elderly woman, who from Miss Dashwood, in spite of her talked a great deal, seemed very constant endeavour to appear to happy, and rather vulgar. She was advantage.

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Comments on the Novel

No indeed, I am never too busy The lovers of novel reading can with fortitude, and overcomes with to think of S & S. I can no more have but a very faint idea of the success, what plunges the other forget it, than a mother can forget difficulty which we reviewers into an abyss of vexation, sorrow, her sucking child; & I am much experience in varying the language and disappointment. … We will, obliged to you for your enquiries. with which we are to give our however, detain our female friends I have had two sheets to correct, judgment on this species of writing. no longer than to allure them, that but the last only brings us to … It reflects honour on the writer, they may peruse these volumes W[illoughby]’s first appearance. who displays much know-ledge of not only with satisfaction but with Mrs. K. regrets in the most flattering character, and very happily blends real benefit, for they may learn manner that she must wait till May, a great deal of good sense with from them, if they please, many but I have scarcely a hope of its the lighter matter of the piece.[…] sober and salutary maxims for being out in June. –Henry says he The characters of Ellen [Elinor] the conduct of life, exemplified in will not neglect it; he has hurried and Marianne are very nicely a very pleasing and entertaining the Printer, & says he will see him contrasted; the former possessing narrative. again today. –It will not stand still great good sense, with a proper during his absence, it will be sent to quantity of sensibility, the latter Unsigned Review, in The British Critic, for Eliza. […] I am very much gratified an equal share of the sense which January, February, March, April, May, June, by Mrs. K.’s interest in it; & whatever renders her sister so estimable, 1812, London: F.C. and J. Rivington, 1812 may be the event of it as to my but blending it at the same time credit with her, sincerely wish her with an immoderate degree of curiosity could be satisfied sooner sensibility…The wary prudence She makes you slip into easy than is now probable. I think she of John Dashwood and the good acquaintance with the people of will like my Elinor, but cannot build nature of Sir John Middleton, the her books as if they lived next on any thing else. volatile dissipation of Willoughby, door, and would be pulling at and the steady feeling of Colonel your bell to-morrow, or to-night. Jane Austen, in a letter to Cassandra Austen, Brandon, are all equally well And you never confound them; Thursday, April 25, 1811 conceived and well executed. by the mere sound of their voices you know which is Elinor, and Unsigned Review, in The Critical Review, or which is Marianne; and as for You will be glad to hear that every the Annals of Literature, vol. one, London: J. the disagreeable people in her Copy of S. & S. is sold & that it Mawman, 1812 stories, they are just as honestly was brought me £140 besides the and naturally disagreeable as Copyright, if that should ever be of any neighbor you could name — any value. – I have now therefore The object of the work is to whether by talking too much, or written myself into £250 – which represent the effects on the making puns, or prying into your only makes me long for more. – I conduct, of life, of discreet quiet private affairs. have something in hand – which I good sense on the one hand, and hope on the credit of [Pride and an over-refined and excessive Donald G. Mitchell, English Lands Letters and Prejudice] will sell well, tho not half susceptibility on the other. The Kings, Queen Anne and the Georges, 1895, in so entertaining. characters are happily delineated The Library of Literary Criticism of English and admirably sustained. Two and American Authors, volume 4, edited by Jane Austen, in a letter to Francis Austen, sisters are placed before the reader, Charles Wells Moulton, Buffalo, N.Y.: Moulton Saturday, July 3, 1813 similarly circumstanced in point of Publishing Company, 1902 education and accomplishments, exposed to similar trials, but the one by a sober exertion of I think the title of the book is prudence and judgment sustains misleading to modern ears.

GUTHRIE THEATER \ 7 THE PLAY

But no one, as far as we can more; the “have-nots” because they remember, has ever put Sense and require it to avoid dependence on or Sensibility first, nor can I believe exploitation by those who have it. … that its author did so herself. And yet it is she herself who has A few fortunate “haves” contradict furnished the standard by which their category insofar as in having we judge it, and it is by comparison wealth, they enjoy sharing it and with Pride and Prejudice, in which assisting the “have-nots.” These the leading characters are also two “givers” include John Middleton, sisters, that we assess and depress who rescues the Dashwood its merit. The Elinor and Marianne ladies by providing residence of Sense and Sensibility are only on his estate; his mother-in-law, inferior when they are contrasted Mrs. Jennings, who entertains with the Elizabeth and Jane of Pride generously and freely disperses and Prejudice; and even then, it is funds to the distressed; and Colonel probably because we personally Brandon, who quietly supports the like the handsome and amiable abandoned Miss Williams and the Jane Bennet rather better than the disenfranchised Edward and who obsolete survival of the sentimental would love to take care of Marianne novel represented by Marianne for the rest of her life. Dashwood. Darcy and Bingley again PHOTO: DAN NORMAN are inch more “likeable” (to use Joy Lee Davis, Jane Austen and the Almighty Torsten Johnson as Willoughby and Lady Queensberry’s word) than the Pound: Money, Rank and Privilege in Jane Alejandra Escalante as Marianne colourless Edward Ferrars and the Austen’s Novels, White Bear Lake, Minn.: stiff-jointed Colonel Brandon. Trade Press, 2005 Sensibility in Jane Austen’s day meant warm, quick feeling, not Austin Dobson, Sense and Sensibility, [Sense and Sensibility] contains exaggerated or over keen, as it Introduction, 1896, in The Library of Literary the same vivid characters, brilliant really does now; and the object Criticism of English and American Authors, dialogues, and skillful plot as all of the book, in my belief, is not to volume 4, edited by Charles Wells Moulton, Austen novels. Its unique focus on contrast the sensibility of Marianne Buffalo, N.Y.: Moulton Publishing Company, two heroines, even if at the expense with the sense of Elinor, but to 1902 of developing the heroes, gives show how with equally warm, Austen scope for her most through tender feelings the one sister could After making money the subject of exploration of the relationships control her sensibility by means of burlesque in Love and Friendship, between sisters, a subject she her sense when the other would after pursuing that theme amidst knew intimately, since through not attempt it. … There can be little gothic exaggerations in Northanger her life she was far closer to her doubt that in Sense and Sensibility Abbey, Jane Austen in her sister, Cassandra, than to any we have the first of Jane Austen’s subsequent novels transforms the other person. Elinor and Marianne revised and finished works, and Almighty Pound into a powerful, represent a superb picture of two in several respects it reveals an even threatening, force. In Sense sisters who are both united by inexperienced author. … [We] see and Sensibility, it drives the plot profound affection and divided by that Jane Austen had not quite that develops her characteristic profound differences of opinion. shaken off the turn for caricature, theme of money and marriage. It Moreover, with Marianne, Jane which in early youth she had initiates the action, motivates the Austen has created her closest possessed strongly. characters, energizes the conflicts approximation to a true tragic and determines the conclusion. heroine, someone of great abilities Mrs. Charles Malden, Jane Austen (Famous and virtues brought very low, to Women), 1889, in The Library of Literary The Almighty Pound neatly divides the point of death, by fatal flaws, Criticism of English and American Authors, Austen’s characters between the and one whose story is capable volume 4, edited by Charles Wells Moulton, “haves” and the “have-nots,” all of of arousing both fear and pity in Buffalo, N.Y.: Moulton Publishing Company, whom are driven by money; the the reader. Finally, the novel offers 1902 “haves” because they thrive on the a deeper and more sustained power they derive from it and crave exploration of a controversial

8 \ GUTHRIE THEATER THE PLAY intellectual issue than that seen in any other Austen novel. … [T] he general dichotomy of emotion versus reason, self-expression versus moral and social duties are still matters of vital concern and contention. That the novel manages to combine a serious philosophical argument about such matters with a riveting and emotionally engaging human drama is a testament to its strength, and a good reason for its persistent appeal.

David M. Shapard, Introduction to the Annotated Sense and Sensibility, New PHOTO: DAN NORMAN York: Anchor Books, 2011 Members of the cast of Sense & Sensibility British politics rarely cause so much interest in the US. Last hours on end because we thought year’s general election, for you knew better than we did!” example, passed most Americans by. Brexit is different for a number Being British used to have a of reasons. For one thing, it’s cachet in the US – which Brexit more exciting to watch the has now destroyed. We’re no world burn rather than to see longer Elinor, the sensible one. the democratic process slowly In the Jane Austen novel of chugging along. “British politics international life, we are Fanny turns into a fast-paced TV drama,” Price: the throwback no one enthused CNN. Then there are the respects. populist parallels with Trump’s ascendancy and worries that Arwa Mahdawi, “In the US, Brexit has the June result foreshadows a become a shorthand for ‘Sorry your November Trumpocalypse. Finally, country failed,’” The Guardian, July 11, 2016 there’s that schadenfreude again. A suspicion that the US has been sneered at for the past 240 years by an island that lost an empire but retained a superiority complex. A sense that the veil has been lifted and Britain has nothing left to feel superior about.

“In the Jane Austen novel of international life, we were supposed to be Marianne, the one with all the feelings,” said the Washington Post, in a display of post-Brexit sensibility. “You were supposed to be Elinor, the sensible one … We read all these books of yours about people in the countryside drinking tea for

GUTHRIE THEATER \ 9 THE PLAY Jane Austen: A Literary Context

No woman later has captured the complete common sense of Jane Austen. She could keep her head, while all the after women went about looking for their brains. She could describe a man coolly; which neither George Eliot nor Charlotte Brontë could do. She knew what she knew, like a sound dogmatist: she did Maria Edgeworth Frances Burney not know what she did not know – like a sound agnostic. however, are reserved for the Austen gently parodied both forms. novel, a genre with which she was Sense and Sensibility pokes fun at G.K. Chesterton intimately familiar even before novels of sentiment and romance. The Victorian Age in Literature, she began to write. Her family … Northanger Abbey subverts the London: Williams and Norgate, did not harbor the prejudice Gothic novel by demonstrating how 1913 against novel-reading that was far removed its dark plots were a fashionable intellectual stance from everyday Regency life. Jane Austen’s novels are pure at the time. Novels were widely Kirstin Olson entertainment. If you happen to regarded as being a cause for believe that to entertain should moral decay among the young and All Things Austen: An Encyclopedia be the novelist’s main endeavour, a source of foolish ideas about of Austen’s World, Westport, Conn.: you must put her in a class by romantic love that ruined people, Greenwood Press, 2005 herself. Greater novels than hers especially women, for the realities have been written, War and Peace, of marriage. The most criticized for example, and the Brothers novels fell into two classes: Karamazov, but you must be fresh romances, which taught readers and alert to read them with profit. to expect obstacles to true love No matter if you are tired and such as parental opposition, or dispirited, Jan Austen’s enchant. mismatched wealth, and which, W. Somerset Maugham it was thought, encouraged elopements and seductions; Ten Novels and The Authors, London: and Gothics, which were filled Heinemann, 1954 with superstition, exotic scenery, ominous villains, perjured priests, [Austen’s] greatest enthusiasm ghosts, and dark family secrets. and her most devastating parodies,

10 \ GUTHRIE THEATER Henry Fielding Samuel Richardson

Why do the characters in Jane requires them to lead, and that is Jane Austen was ambivalent about Austen give us a slightly new why they lead their actual lives so their achievements. Richardson was pleasure each time they come in, satisfactorily. considered the major originator as opposed to the mere repetitive of women’s fiction: his novels pleasure that is caused by a E.M. Forster Pamela (1740) and Clarissa (1747- character in Dickens? The answer Aspects of the Novel, New York: Harcourt, 8) have central female characters to this question can be put several Brace & Company, 1927 and much of the interest of Sir ways: that unlike Dickens, she Charles Grandison (1753-4) inheres was a real artist, that she never Where many aspiring writers begin in the women. All three novels are stooped to caricature, etc. But the by expressing their disgust with written in letters so displaying not best reply is that her characters the adult world of their parents so much the inner consciousness through smaller than his are more or by picturing a compensatory of characters as their self-analyses, highly organised. They function fantasy life, Jane Austen started their sense of their own conscience all round, and even if her plot with mimicry and parody, writing and their self-projection. … made greater demands on them burlesques and pastiches of grown- In the gendered critical than it does, they would still be up fiction and reading them aloud structure of the eighteenth century adequate. Suppose that Louisa to her family. In the last year of Fielding was the masculine writer Musgrove had broken her neck on her life she wrote to a niece that to Richardson’s feminine. In his the Cobb. The description of her she wished she had written less novels, especially Joseph Andrews death would have been feeble and and read more when a child, but (1742) and Tom Jones (1749), ladylike – physical violence is quite the habit of close stylistic scrutiny Fielding combined rollicking tales beyond Miss Austen’s powers – but which parody requires stood her of manly sexual adventure with a the survivors would have reacted in excellent stead. It is a measure self-consciousness about genre and properly as soon as the corpse of her present power that almost a sense of the literariness of fiction. was carried away, they would single-handedly she has made have brought into view new sides most of her contemporaries seem Janet Todd of their characters, and though excessive, artificial, or absurd. … “The Literary Context,” The Cambridge Persuasion would have been No one could intend to Introduction to Jane Austen, Cambridge: spoiled as a book, we should know be a serious novelist in the late Cambridge University Press, 2006 more than we do about Captain eighteenth century without being Wentworth and Anne. All the Jane aware of the genre of fiction and Austen characters are ready for without thinking of the great male an extended life, for a life which forebears, Samuel Richardson and the scheme of her books seldom Henry Fielding. As their successor,

GUTHRIE THEATER \ 11 THE AUTHOR

About the Author

A SELECTED CHRONOLOGY OF THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JANE AUSTEN

AUSTEN’S LIFE WORLD EVENTS

The American Revolution begins. Jane Austen is born on December 16 in Hampshire. 1775 James Watt begins manufacture of the first practicable steam engine.

The Declaration of Independence is written. 1776 Thomas Paine writes Common Sense. Adam Smith writes The Wealth of Nations.

First major American victory at the battle of Saratoga. 1777 Richard Brinsley Sheridan writes The School for Scandal.

France declares war on Britain in support of America. 1778 Fanny Burney writes the novel Evelina.

Jane, age 7, studies for a short time with Cassandra at a 1783 The American Revolution ends; Britain recognizes the school in Oxford. independence of the American colonies.

Jane and Cassandra study in Reading for a short time, then return to Steventon where Jane will remain for 1785 much of the next 15 years. The U.S. Constitution is adopted and George Washington is She begins writing a variety of works 1787 elected the first President of the United States. now known as her Juvenilia. Mozart composes Don Giovanni.

1788 Doubts about George III’s mental health and competence to rule cause the Regency Crisis.

1789 Storming of the Bastille by a mob of the working and middle classes in Paris: the beginning of the French Revolution.

She writes The History of England 1791 “by a partial, prejudiced, & ignorant Historian.”

She writes Lesley Castle, a short epistolary novel. 1792 Mary Wollstonecraft writes Vindication of the Rights of Women.

Louis VXI and Marie Antoinette are executed, marking the 1793 beginning of the French Republic and the Reign of Terror. Thomas Paine writes The Age of Reason.

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AUSTEN’S LIFE WORLD EVENTS

She writes the epistolary novel Lady Susan, 1794 The execution of Jean Jacques Robespierre ends the the last piece of her Juvenilia. Reign of Terror.

She writes Elinor and Marianne, 1795 The Prince of Wales marries Caroline of Brunswick, despite his an early draft of Sense and Sensibility. earlier secret marriage to a Catholic widow Maria Fitzherbert.

Napoleon Bonaparte comes to prominence as commander of the French army and invades Italy. She writes First Impressions. 1796 Abortive attempt by the French to invade Ireland in support of the United Irishmen uprising.

Her father offers First Impressions to a London publisher; it is rejected without being read. 1797 She begins to revise Elinor and Marianne, retitling it Sense and Sensibility.

Irish Rebellion is suppressed by the British army. 1798 William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge publish The Lyrical Ballads.

She writes Susan. It is accepted by a 1799 Haydn’s oratorio “The Creation” receives its first public publisher, but not published. performance.

Her father retires from the church and the 1801 Austens move to Bath, Somerset county.

She receives and accepts a marriage proposal from a family Treaty of Amiens signed between England and France: end friend, Harris Bigg-Wither, then changes her mind a 1802 of the Wars of the French Revolution. retracts her acceptance the next day.

Britain declares war on France: beginning of the Napoleonic Wars. She sells a revised version of Susan to another London 1803 publisher. He agrees to publish it, but never does. Louisiana Purchase; Lewis and Clark begin their exploration of the American West.

Napoleon declares himself Emperor of France. She begins to write The Watsons, but leaves it unfinished. 1804 First steam locomotive to run on rails is successfully tested in Wales.

Napoleon’s fleet is defeated by British Admiral Nelson at the Her father dies. 1805 battle of Trafalgar.

The “Delicate Investigation” is made into Princess Caroline’s suspected adultery and possibly having had an illegitimate Jane, Cassandra and their mother move to Southampton, 1806 child. Nothing is proven, and the Prince cannot divorce her. Hampshire county. Napoleon enters Berlin; most of Germany is now occupied by French forces.

France invades Spain and Portugal: beginning of the Peninsular 1808 War. The British force sent to Portugal is commanded by Arthur Wellesley (later made Duke of Wellington).

GUTHRIE THEATER \ 13 THE AUTHOR

AUSTEN’S LIFE WORLD EVENTS

Jane, Cassandra and their mother move to a cottage owned 1809 by Edward Austen Knight in Chawton, Hampshire county.

Mexico, Chile, Argentina and Columbia She finishes Sense and Sensibility. 1810 declare Independence from Spain.

George III is declared insane and his son the Prince of Wales Sense and Sensibility (the revision of Elinor and Marianne) is begins to rule in his place, officially beginning the Regency. published in October and is modestly successful. 1811 Luddites, protesters against the unemployment brought She begins revising First Impressions into Pride and Prejudice. about by mechanization, destroy factory machinery in Northern England.

The War of 1812 begins between Britain and the United States. Napoleon’s army captures Moscow, but is forced to begin 1812 retreat from Russia. Lord Byron writes the first volume of Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage.

Pride and Prejudice is published on January 28. It sells very well The Duke of Wellington’s army forces the French out of Spain. and will be the most popular of her novels during her lifetime. 1813 Percy Shelley writes Queen Mab. She finishes writing Mansfield Park.

Mansfield Park is published. 1814 Napoleon abdicates and is exiled to Elba.

Napoleon escapes from Elba and returns to power in France. She is praised by the Prince Regent, who invites her to His army is defeated at Waterloo by British and Dutch dedicate a future work to him. 1815 forces under Wellington. He is exiled to St. Helena. Emma is finished and published – and dedicated to the Prince. Monarchy is restored in France under Louis XVIII.

She or her brother Henry buys back the manuscript of Susan and she begins revising it into Northanger Abbey. 1816 Coleridge publishes Kubla Khan (written c. 1797) She finishes Persuasion. Her health begins to fail.

In a period of better health, she begins writing Sanditon, left unfinished. She dies on July 18 and is buried in Winchester Cathedral. 1817 John Keats’ poetry first published. Northanger Abbey and Persuasion are published together with a ‘Biographical Notice’ by her brother Henry.

1818 Mary Shelley writes Frankenstein.

George III dies and George IV ascends to the throne after a 1820 10-year Regency. Sir Walter Scott writes Ivanhoe.

14 \ GUTHRIE THEATER THE AUTHOR

Jane Austen in her own words

You show so little enough to take much trouble in We had a very quiet evening, I anxiety about my effecting it, We never could bring it believe Mary found it dull, but I being murdered under about. ... One of my gayest actions thought it very pleasant. To sit in was sitting down two Dances in idleness over a good fire in a well- Ash Park Copse by preference to having Lord Bolton’s proportioned room is a luxurious Mrs. Hulbert’s servant, eldest son for my Partner, who sensation. that I have a great danced too ill to be endured. J.A. letter to Cassandra, November 8, 1800 mind not to tell you J.A. letter to Cassandra, January 9, 1799 whether I was or not... I am reading a Society-Octavo, Our grand walk to Weston was and Essay on the Military Police & again fixed for Yesterday, & was Institutions of the British Empire, J.A. letter to Cassandra accomplished in a very striking by Capt. Pasley of the Engineers, January 8, 1799 manner. ... It would have amused a book which I protested against you to see our progress; – we at first, but which upon trial I I have received a very civil note went up by Sion Hill, & returned find delightfully written & highly from Mrs. Martin requesting my across the fields; in climbing a hill entertaining. I am as much in love name as a Subscriber to her Library Mrs. Chamberlayne is very capital; with the Author as I ever was... The which opens the 14th of January, I could with difficulty keep pace first soldier I ever sighed for; but he & my name, or rather Yours, is with her – yet would not flinch for does write with extraordinary force accordingly given. My Mother finds the World. – on plain ground I was & spirit. the money. ... As an inducement quite her equal – and so we posted to subscribe Mrs. Martin tells us away under a fine hot sun, She J.A. letter to Cassandra Austen that her Collection is not to consist without any parasol or any shade January 24, 1813 only of Novels, but of every kind to her hat, stopping at nothing, & of Literature, &c, &c – She might crossing the Church Yard at Weston I suppose all the World is sitting have spared this pretension to our with as much expedition as if we in Judgment upon the Princess family, who are great Novel-readers were afraid of being buried alive. – of Wales’s Letter. Poor Woman, I and not ashamed of being so; – After seeing what she is equal to, I shall support her as long as I can, but it was necessary I suppose to cannot help feeling a regard for her. because she is a Woman, & because the self-consequence of half her I hate her Husband – but I can Subscribers. J.A. letter to Cassandra, May 21, 1801 hardly forgive her for calling herself “attached & affectionate” for a Man J.A. letter to Cassandra, December 18, 1798 The St Albans perhaps may soon whom she must detest – and the be off to help bring home what intimacy said to subsist between There were more Dancers than the may remain by this time of our her & Lady Oxford is bad. – I do not Room could conveniently hold, poor Army, whose state seems know what to do about it; – but if which is enough to constitute a dreadfully critical. – The Regency I must give up the Princess, I am good Ball at any time. – I do not seems to have been heard of resolved at least always to think that think I was very much in request. only here, my most political she would have been respectable, People were rather apt not to Correspondents make no mention if the Prince had behaved only ask me ‘till they could not help of it. Unlucky, that I should have tolerably by her at first. it; – One’s Consequence you know wasted so much reflection on the varies so much at times without subject! J.A. letter to Martha Lloyd February 9, 1 813 any particular reason. There was one Gentleman, an officer of the J.A. letter to Cassandra, January 11, 1809 Cheshire, a very good looking young Man, who I was told wanted very much to be introduced to me; – but as he did not want it quite

GUTHRIE THEATER \ 15 THE AUTHOR

On Jane Austen’s work

Wars, earthquakes, Heroines of Fiction, 1901 Jane Austen was a comedian; her tornadoes and outlook was always humorous. And disasters may More than any other novelist, even when she penetrates into one she fills every inch of her canvas of her characters with knife-edged overtake the world, with observation, fashions every clearness, she always does so with but one fixed point sentence into meaning, stuffs up a smile on her lips. remains – a light that every chink and cranny of the fabric until each novel is a little Bruce Chatwin, writer, quoted in Jane never goes out, a living world. ... Her characters are Austen: A Celebration, 2000 center that always so rounded and substantial that holds – to be invoked they have the power to move Her acute sense of character, her out of the scenes in which she bland irony, her exquisite powers in happiness or in placed them into other moods and of organization and presentation, sorrow: Jane Austen. circumstances. turned the uneventful lives of well- [Jane Austen] possessed in a fed people in quiet corners into greater degree perhaps than any enchanting novels. Joan Austen-Leigh founder of other English woman the sense of the Jane Austen Society of North the significance of life apart from J. B. Priestley, Literature and America, quoted in Jane Austen: A any personal liking or disliking; Western Man, 1962 Celebration, 2000 of the beauty and continuity which underlies its trivial stream. All the vast anguish of her time A little aloof, a little inscrutable is non-existent to Jane Austen, Jane Austen reveals to us with and mysterious, she will always when once she has got pen in merciless distinctness the secret remain, but serene and beautiful hand, to make us a new kingdom springs that move a human heart. also because of her greatness as an of refuge from the toils and frets She has scant need to describe her artist. of life. ... Fashions change, fads and characters, and she seldom takes fancies come and go, tyrannies that trouble. They betray themselves Virginia Woolf, The Times Literary and empires erupt and collapse; at every word, and stand convicted Supplement, May 8, 1913 those who make events and on their own evidence. contemporary ideas the matter of their work have their reward in We do not go into society for Agnes Repplier, Essays in Miniature, 1892 instant appreciation of their topical the pleasure of conversation, but value. And with their topical value for the pleasure of sex, direct or they die. Art is a mysterious entity, indirect. Everything is arranged for An author is as great for what she outside and beyond daily life. ... [A] this end: the dresses, the dances, leaves out as for what she puts hundred thousand novels come and the food, the wine, the music! Of in; and Jane Austen shows her go, but Jane Austen can never be this truth we are all conscious now, mastery in nothing more than her out of date, because she never was but should we have discovered avoidance of moving accidents in any particular date (that is to it without Miss Austen’s help? It for her most moving effects. She say, never imprisoned in any), but is was certainly she who perceived seems to have known intuitively coextensive with human nature. it, and her books are permeated that character resides in habit, with it...; and is it not this deep and that for a novelist to seek its Reginald Farrer, “Jane Austen, obituary,” instinctive knowledge that makes expression in violent events would Quarterly Review, 1917 her drawing-rooms seem more real be as stupid as for the painter to than anybody else’s? expect an alarm of fire or burglary to startle his sitter into a valuable revelation of his qualities. George Moore, Avowals, 1919

William Dean Howells,

16 \ GUTHRIE THEATER CULTURAL CONTEXT

by Jillian Jensen Do you live in a cottage? Literary Intern

For my own part, money to put food on the table, I am excessively much less keep up their house. As fond of a cottage; tenants of these cottages came and went, the buildings fell into there is always so disrepair. The poor continued much elegance in to live there, but the wealthy a cottage. If I had masters of the house began to take notice of how pretty the little any money to spare, buildings were. The exterior walls Dashwoods’ new home in chapter I should build a were covered in greenery from 6 of Sense and Sensibility: “As a cottage, and have all delicate moss to blooming vines, house, Barton Cottage, though as well as lovely faded wood and small, was comfortable and my friends visit me. artfully flaking paint or stucco, compact; but as a cottage it was In my cottage.” and most often topped off with a defective, for the building was thatched roof. But more important regular, the roof was tiled, the Robert Ferrars, act two than the looks – and looks were, window shutters were not painted indeed, very important – were the green, nor were the walls covered During the era of Sense and ideals the cottage represented. with honeysuckles. … [It] had not Sensibility, new philosophies Many members of the gentry been built many years ago and was centered on romanticism and romanticized the life of a poor man in good repair.” sentimentality were championed or woman: they fantasized about a by luminary poets such as humble, simple life, where you did The way Austen satirizes the overly Lord Byron, John Keats and an honest day’s work to earn your romantic vision of the country William Wordsworth. One of daily bread, and nothing more than cottage links back to the very the philosophies most highly this was necessary to have a happy spine of the story – practicality encouraged was the urge to return and complete life. To achieve this versus romanticism, or sense to a simple, self-sufficient life, like ideal, estates across the country versus sensibility. In creating a shepherd or a farmer. Many of started to build small houses on Barton Cottage, Austen gives the these poets’ works were pastoral their land. They carefully decorated Dashwoods a house that actually pieces that idealized the rural life. these new buildings to make it functioned as a house and not As their literature and philosophy seem like they had been there just as a pretty pastoral spectacle, grew more popular and widely for decades. These new cottages, which earns Elinor’s sensible accepted, a new fashion swept especially when they were actually approval. However, the passionate across the homes of the English to be lived in by members of the Marianne cannot help but be a countryside – the cottage. Cottages gentry, were often hardly cottages little disappointed; especially were already an essential part of at all. They could be built with a after spending her life thus far at wealthy estates such as Barton second story, extra rooms and all the handsome Norland Park, she Park, where Sir John, Mrs. Jennings the conveniences that came with would sorely miss a bit of beauty and Lady Middleton live, but in the being rich. These new houses in her home, especially the type of Regency Era they began to take on were called the cottage ornée. The beauty so incredibly fashionable a whole new aesthetic meaning. sentiments behind the country in the girls’ time. In other words, cottage still resonate even today: Marianne would wish that their new In previous times, cottages were simply go on Pinterest for ways to home would better fit the bill of small buildings about the size of a achieve faded wood and flaking the classic, more run-down country modern apartment. They housed paint in your own home! cottage. farmers, gardeners, servants or other people of the poorest However, Barton Cottage is nothing classes, who had barely enough like that. Jane Austen describes the

GUTHRIE THEATER \ 17 CULTURAL CONTEXT

The Sensibility Sensation by Jillian Jensen

principles as they braved their way through doomed love, ruined reputation and misfortune galore. While these novels were not always very well written, they seized the attention of readers everywhere, and soon formed what was called the ‘cult of sensibility’.

But what is sensibility? In the simplest terms, sensibility is a person’s tendency for high emotions; it is how easily one’s

PHOTO: DAN NORMAN temperament can rise and fall in extremes. “Appealing to the Cast of Sense and Sensibility. sensibility” means to evoke extravagant emotional responses Decades before Jane Austen ever This part of the populace was given - weeping, screaming, laughing, put pen to paper, there were new a new lease on life. Though many gasping. The most delicate lady ideas buzzing all over England. hardships remained, they now had readers often fainted, which led to These ideas shaped not only her a chance to not simply survive, but the invention of fainting couches writing, but sparked an entire flourish. “Indeed,” says scholar of in wealthy homes. Men were also movement of philosophy and sensibility G.J. Barker-Bensfield, allowed and expected to have some literature – the celebration of “[novels of] sensibility were the degree of sensibility, which meant sensation, which was known as means whereby the middle class they were to have compassion, a “sensibility.” defined itself against a lower class capacity for sorrow and joy and an still vulnerable to severe hardship.” inclination for beauty in all things Nearly a century before Austen’s Literacy rates skyrocketed across just as much as the women. In fact, birth, England was rocked by the the country - but the community professor Daniel Wickberg states Glorious Revolution of 1688. The whose education grew most that “[to] lack sensibility was to be a result of this revolution was the profoundly was women. Barker- moral and/or social idiot, unable to writing of the British Bill of Rights, Bensfield notes that when they were discriminate right from wrong, good which reinforced citizens’ rights to “[debarred] from the educational art from bad, things to be valued free speech and elections, as well as establishment and usually from from those to be deplored.” The freedom of the press. The oppressive a knowledge of the ancient heroes and heroines in the novels of monarchy was also severely limited languages, women turned their sensibility were known as “men and in their real power, and authority was hand to a form and subject they women of feeling.” given to an elected Parliament. The could master by themselves.” success of the Revolution brought Soon, women writers and readers Part of being a man or woman about a renewed interest in politics dominated the literary scene of feeling was an instinctual and progress, especially among the in England, from the London tendency toward moral rightness. radicals, or Dissenters. A middle class metropolis to the small country Philosophers of the time such as made up of merchants, lawyers, and towns. Their works were clearly the Earl of Shaftesbury and Jean- small business owners was born – influenced by the 18th century ideals Jacques Rousseau “argued that though this class was small, it was of femininity which encouraged human beings possessed a moral prominent in English society, and the virtue, delicacy and elegance in sense and a sense of beauty,” people of the middle class thrived manners and fashion - but also Wickberg says, “by which moral under the new government. passion, kindness, humor and wit. and aesthetic judgments were The heroines encapsulated those rendered in response to immediate

18 \ GUTHRIE THEATER perception of objects.” They writers before her. Janet Todd says Austen’s contemporaries included hypothesized that to have a of Jane Austen’s works, “[in] her poets Lord Byron, Elizabeth heightened sensibility was also novels the clichés of sentimental Barrett Browning, Samuel Taylor to have an unwavering moral fiction are overturned: mothers Coleridge and John Keats, as well compass, one that was resolute are vulgar and limited, sentimental as novelists Ann Radcliffe, Mary and correct because it was friends are a sham, and orphans Shelley, Victor Hugo and Alexandre natural and intuitive. When these prove not noble but lower middle Dumas, among many other writers characters came across any class. … She parodies the ecstatic of different genres and forms. misfortune – whether it was to tone of sensibility, which finds the Together, these men and women themselves or to another being – world either amazingly horrid or form what is known today as the they took it personally, feeling their infinitely superior, and she mocks Romantic Era of literature, an era own emotions and those of others characters who are overwhelmed that continues to captivate scholars deep within their heart. The typical by their sensitive and palpitating and readers to this day. man or woman of feeling strove bodies.” All of her characters most for all things right and beautiful in susceptible to high sensibility Even though “sensibility” is a word the world. This meant they were – Lydia Bennet of Pride and that has long since gone out of seeking to overcome any suffering Prejudice, Marianne Dashwood of fashion, its effects resound. Many or cruelty that they came across. Sense and Sensibility and Catherine of our culture’s most popular G.J. Barker-Bensfield adds that Morland of Northanger Abbey – books and movies use the same “sensibility’s galvanizing of public suffer greatly specifically because methods as the novels that Jane opinion was fundamental to the of how easily they succumb to their Austen reacted to. That is to remarkable legislative initiatives sensibilities. Much of her humor say, they play up emotion to an aimed at humanitarian reform also stems from direct parodies of enormous degree; their characters and abolitionism during the last the older sentimental novels. Her face incredible obstacles that third of the century.” Their sense most critically-acclaimed novel, change their lives and the lives of rightness did not only apply to Emma, can easily be seen as one of those around them; audiences strictly moral matters, either. To such parody. often respond with extreme have a high sensibility also meant emotion, such as tears and even that you were very sensitive to However, Austen was unique the occasional scream. You will cultural civility and matters of amongst the writers who recognize all these symptoms of propriety. These people were born lashed out against the earlier a sentimental novel when reading to live in polite society and were sentimentalists in that she also saw The Fault in Our Stars or The well-learned in keeping within its the literary and real-life benefits Notebook, or when you watch boundaries – unless, of course, and attractions that emotional Grey’s Anatomy or even Game of they were overcome by their characters could have, and she Thrones. emotions and accidentally made encouraged some degree of mistakes that could damage their sensibility in her readers. Her WORKS CITED reputations. This was exactly the characters Elizabeth and Jane predicament that the majority of Bennet of Pride and Prejudice, Todd, Janet. (1986). Sensibility: An literary heroines found themselves Elinor Dashwood of Sense and introduction. London: Methuen & in, and their plots were always Sensibility, and even Emma Company. resolved in one of two ways: either Woodhouse of Emma prove this “happily rewarded in marriage or fact. None of these characters Barker-Benfield, G.J. (1999). elevated into redemptive death,” can find real happiness in life Sensibility. In Ian McCalman according toscholar of classic with pure common sense and (Ed.), The Romantic Age: British women’s fiction Janet Todd. reason – they adapt their lives and Culture 1776-1832. Oxford: Oxford However, by the turn of the 18th relationships to include a healthy University Press. century - when Jane Austen was level of emotion and affection that writing her novels - the cult of complements their wisdom. Wickberg, Daniel. (2007, June sensibility was going out of fashion. Jane Austen was one of the 01). What Is the History of Critics of the previous novels - first among many writers who Sensibilities? On Cultural Histories, men and women alike - called out advocated for sensibility. These Old and New. The American readers and writers for being silly, writers encouraged readers to Historical Review, 112(3), 661-684 fanciful and overly dramatic. Even cultivate emotion by looking for Austen herself condemned the beauty in their everyday lives.

GUTHRIE THEATER \ 19 CULTURAL CONTEXT

People, Places and Things in Sense and Sensibility

People “Cowper!” “Yes. I daresay that Scott translation of Homer’s Iliad, the or Pope is a more serious-minded three-volume Dunciad, and three Cowper answer, but I am afraid that Cowper volumes of Miscellanies, published [pronounced Cooper] William is my favorite poet of our time.” with fellow satirist Jonathan Swift. Cowper (1731-1800), English poet (Marianne, Willoughby, act one) Pope really is not in line with who was one of Jane Austen’s Marianne’s taste. favorites. He was descended from curate poet John Donne through his the lowest rung among the clergy, “Cowper!” “Yes. I daresay that Scott mother, and was known to have a below a rector and a vicar (but all or Pope is a more serious-minded mental illness, which resulting in clergy were considered members answer, but I am afraid that Cowper at least one nervous breakdown of the gentry). Curates were often is my favorite poet of our time.” and several suicide attempts. He hired to assist the clergyman (Marianne, Willoughby, act one) recovered under the care of several who held a living to do his duties friends and patrons, and thereafter within the parish, either because Scott spent the bulk of his adult life in the clergyman has retired and the Sir Walter Scott (1771-1832), “rustic retirement,” though he had duties have become too much Scottish novelist, poet, historian several more breakdowns until late for him or because the clergy and another favorite of Jane in his life. He had a bit of gloomy serves multiple parishes and needs Austen. He not only created the outlook in general, a result of his assistance. They were usually genre of historical novel, but his religious mania and general feeling poorly paid. writings were so influential as to that he was irrevocably damned. invent a national culture, history Most of his significant writing “He is the curate of the parish, I and identity, and his work was happened or was published after dare say?” (Mrs. Jennings, act one) highly influential on almost all 1780, including a series of essays poets and novelists that followed in couplets, the heroic ballad “John Honorable Miss Morton him. Among his notable works Gilpin’s Ride,” the long poem “The “Honorable” is a courtesy title are “The Lady of the Lake,” (1810), Task,” and a translation of Homer given to children of viscounts and (in contrast with Pope’s “artificial” barons, the lowest ranks among Robert Dorfman as Sir John with version from an earlier generation. the peerage. With her fortune of John Catron as Edward Ferrars “His poems celebrate rural life and £30,000, Miss Morton outranks the beauties of nature in a way that everyone else in the play in status influenced later Romantic poets, and money together. though he tended to be less fervent in his enthusiasm.” He’s also quoted “… his mother has determined she in Austen’s Mansfield Park. His will give him his independence 1,500-line poem “Hope,” Marianne’s just as soon as he marries the favorite poem, was written during Honorable Miss Morton.” (John the 1870s and published in 1782 Dashwood, act two) in Poems by William Cowper; it was one of a series of “verse Pope discourses” that became known as Alexander Pope (1688-1744), the Moral Satires. English poet and satirist, of a generation before Cowper. His works include “Rape of the Lock,”

20 \ GUTHRIE THEATER PHOTO: DAN NORMAN CULTURAL CONTEXT

Waverley (1814) and Ivanhoe resides; as the wealthy local Exeter (1820). His work is also discussed landowner, Brandon may appoint Barton is four miles from Exeter – a and admired in Austen’s Mansfield the clergyman. The clergyman relatively short drive by carriage if Park and Persuasion. needs to be ordained and receive the roads are good. the blessing of the bishop, but “Cowper!” “Yes. I daresay that Scott otherwise it’s at the landowner’s “I met them on a morning’s or Pope is a more serious-minded discretion. It also demonstrates excursion to Exeter, and discovered answer, but I am afraid that Cowper why Edward being cut off from his them to be my relations!” (Mrs. is my favorite poet of our time.” family is so dire to his prospects, Jennings, act one) (Marianne, Willoughby, act one) because such appointments are often made on a who-you-know Harley Street Sir John basis. John and Fanny take a house in A man with the title “Sir” is either Harley Street for three months for a knight (an honor bestowed for “The living of Delaford is vacant, the London season. his service and is not hereditary) and mine to appoint. Would you be or a baronet, the lowest rung on willing to tell him that I would name “We spent such a terrible, wretched the British aristocratic ladder, him as rector …” (Colonel Brandon, day at Harley Street yesterday, which is hereditary. He is a member act two) Edward!” (Marianne, act two) of the gentry, “a gentleman of Devonshire consequence and property,” a county in southwestern England. Longstaple but not a peer/member of the According to Annotated S&S editor a fictional place near Plymouth nobility. When we meet Sir John David Shapard, Austen usually further southwest in Devonshire Middleton’s wife, she is referred to chooses locations in her novels as Lady Middleton, a title befitting for their usefulness to the plot, “He was once a pupil with my uncle the spouse of either a knight or not necessarily for any specific in Longstaple.” (Lucy, act two) baronet. It also means that she has characteristics of the people or the gained the title through marriage; region itself. In this case, the long Norfolk if she had the title through birth, distance required to travel from a county in eastern England she would be Lady “first name,” London back to Devonshire plays ala Lady Catherine in Pride into the plot later. “told him even that she would and Prejudice or Lady Mary in settle on him the Norfolk estate, “Downton Abbey.” “I am writing to our cousin, Sir John which brings in a good thousand a Middleton. He may have a cottage year.” (John Dashwood, act two) “I am writing to our cousin, Sir available for us in Devonshire.” John Middleton. He may have (Elinor, act one) Plymouth a cottage available for us in It’s roughly 35 to 45 miles from Devonshire.” (Elinor, act one) East Indies Plymouth to Exeter (near Barton), The islands of Southeast Asia which would probably take about a (the term may refer to just half day’s time, depending on how Places modern-day Indonesia, or the much rest he gave his horse. larger Malay Peninsula, or all of Cleveland mainland Southeast Asia and “I have been visiting some friends The Palmers’ fictional estate in India). The English East India near Plymouth.” (Edward, act one) Somersetshire, about 30 miles from Company received rights to trade Willoughby’s estate. in 1600, and its main objective was Portman Square spices from the East Indies and, “an elegant part of London” — the “We will stop only for a visit secondarily, cotton from India. novel notes Mrs. Jennings’ home with my daughter Charlotte at in London is on Upper Berkeley Cleveland…” (Mrs Jennings, act “That is to say he has told you Street, near Portman Square, two) that in the East Indies the climate and she has resided there since is hot, and the mosquitoes are the death of her husband more Delaford troublesome!” (Marianne, act one) than eight years ago; he was a Delaford is the fictional parish successful man of trade, so part of in which Colonel Brandon the nouveau riche.

GUTHRIE THEATER \ 21 “Every winter, you know, I am in the “Mum’s the word until the banns (Elinor, Mrs. Jennings, act two) habit of removing to a nice stomp are read, ’ey?” (Mrs. Jennings, act in London, near Portman Square.” two) gout (Mrs. Jennings, act one) inflammation of joints, especially chaise in the big toe, brought on by a diet St. James Street a four-wheeled carriage that had overly rich in purines (uric acids); A street in central London, running one forward-facing seat that much more typically found in men perpendicular to Pall Mall and The could seat up the three people (as than women Mall, and running from Piccadilly opposed to a coach, that had two into St. James’ Palace and St. three-person seats that faced each “Very gouty, poor fellow, and never James’ Park. It’s the address for other). comfortable in the least bit of several gentlemen’s clubs. damp.” (Mrs Jennings, act one) (Thomas, act two) “The Colonel lodges, I think, on St. guinea James Street.” (Edward, act two) Constantia wine a coin worth a pound plus a shilling; Wine from grapes grown on the 50 guineas is a comparatively large Constantia farm near Cape Town, sum – approximately what each Sussex South Africa. of the Dashwood girls earn a year a county south of London, where “I recollected that I had some fine from interest on their £1,000. Norland is located; it’s about 200 old Constantia wine in the house miles from Sussex to their new … My poor husband was fond of “I would lay fifty guineas that home in Devonshire. it whenever he had a touch of his Brandon invented this trick to get gout.” (Mrs. Jennings, act two) out of our gathering.” (Willoughby, “I am sure they have left many act one) broken young gentlemen in curricle Sussex!” (Mrs. Jennings, act one) a two-person open carriage driven living by two horses (as opposed to one) a living is the position and property so it can go very fast of a clergyman in the Church of Things England. Although some livings “It is Mr. Willoughby’s curricle were awarded directly by the banns outside! I told you, he DID visit her!” church, many were “in the gift” of The Marriage Act of 1753 outlawed (Margaret, act one) private landowners or of royalty, clandestine weddings in England meaning that those individuals (though not in Scotland) so fifty thousand pounds could give those positions to engagements and the intention to Miss Gray’s fifty thousand pounds is whomever they chose. A living marry were very public. Couples much larger than any other female would include a house, a plot could be married in two ways: character’s fortune in Austen’s of land and revenue from tithes publishing the banns, which meant novels. This suggests the Gray drawn from the income of all the the local clergy would announce family fortune is not tied up in land agricultural land in the parish. the couple’s intention to marry on or an estate, but may come from The yearly value of a living could three successive Sundays or holy commerce. She can raise her own vary greatly depending on the days, giving the community enough and her family’s social standing size and richness of the parish. A time to voice any objections, and by marrying into a family with an clergyman’s better income at the the couple could marry within the estate, which may be in need of time would have probably been next three months. The second ready cash on hand because of between £600 (Mr. Austen’s living option was to get a license, which debts (in Willoughby’s case) or from two parishes circa 1801) and came with an expense, either from because the wealth is all tied up in £1,000 (about James Austen’s a local clergyman which would the estate. If Miss Gray herself was living from three parishes) a year. allow you to marry in a parish already part of the aristocracy, her where either member of the couple wealth would land her someone “The living of Delaford is vacant, lived or a special license that of much higher status than and mine to appoint. Would you be allowed for a marriage any time Willoughby. willing to tell him that I would name any place. him as rector …” (Colonel Brandon, “The lady then — is very rich?” act two) “Fifty thousand pounds, my dear.”

22 \ GUTHRIE THEATER parish the smallest geographical subdivision within the Church of England which also served as a governmental unit. Each parish was part of a deanery, which was part of an archdeanery, which was part of a diocese headed by a bishop. A clergyman (perhaps assisted by a curate) would serve a parish, which could vary in size; some parishes had a series of “chapels of ease,” which would allow for local services within a parish. In its secular PHOTO: DAN NORMAN capacity, the parish collected and Alejandra Escalante as Marianne and Natalie Tran as Margaret Dashwood at the pianoforte distributed local charity to the poor of that particular parish. bird, terrify the bird enough to “The living of Delaford is vacant, “He is the curate of the parish, I keep its position, and point it out and mine to appoint. Would you be dare say?” (Mrs. Jennings, act one) to its master who would shoot willing to tell him that I would name the bird as it was sitting still. As him as rector …” (Colonel Brandon, pianoforte guns became lighter, pointers act two) a piano, first brought to England in were replaced with retrievers, to the late 18th century from Germany. collect the birds flushed out from a thousand pounds Unlike in a harpsichord, strings on the brush and shot out of the air, Women’s fortunes (or lack a piano are struck by a hammer though some pointers could be thereof) are noted as lump sums; rather than plucked, and therefore trained to retrieve as well. the thousand pounds John first require less maintenance and create proposes giving his sisters would be a louder sound. John Broadwood, “Thank you, ma’am, but my one thousand pounds each, invested a Scottish carpenter and joiner, pointers are outside. A little with an approximate rate of return held several early patents on more water will not melt me.” of 5% (or $50 a year actual income). mechanisms that improved the (Willoughby, act one) Men’s fortunes in Austen novels are working of the pianoforte. By 1790, noted as annual incomes. he was manufacturing 400 square Queen Mab Currency equivalencies can be and 100 grand pianos a years. He The horse Willoughby gives tricky, but roughly speaking, was acknowledged to be one of Marianne is from Romeo and a thousand pounds is about the best piano manufacturers in Juliet, in which Mercutio has a long £30,000-£70,000 ($40,000 – England, and English pianos were speech about Queen Mab, the 90,000) in today’s money. considered the best in the world. fairies’ midwife. Most accomplished young ladies “I think that I will give them a were taught to play the piano, “But, Marianne! … Queen Mab is still thousand pounds apiece to start music being perfectly suitable for yours, Marianne. I shall keep her their new life!” (John Dashwood, women, but it wasn’t considered only till you can claim her for your act one) gentlemanly for a man to know more lasting home.” (Willoughby, how to play. act one) SOURCES

“Next to my pianoforte. You may rector All Things Austen by Kirsten Olsen spy on the neighbors!” (Marianne, a rector is the clergyman who has act one) exclusive rights to the tithes from Annotated Sense and Sensibility, his parish (as opposed to a vicar, edited by David M. Shapard pointers who receives only some of the Before guns became lightweight tithes, or a curate, who is employed What Jane Austen Ate and Charles enough for hunters to shoot by a rector to fulfill some or all of Dickens Knew by Daniel Pool birds on the fly, the tactic was the clergy’s duties.) for a pointer to find a sitting Encyclopedia of World Biography

GUTHRIE THEATER \ 23 CULTURAL CONTEXT

About the Adaptor and Director

Kate Hamill Kate is reprising her role in the NYC production. Other plays include In the Kate Hamill is a NYC-based actor and Mines (2015 Sundance Theatre Lab playwright. As playwright: recently semi-finalist, 2016 NEXT New Musical wrote a new adaptation of Sense and Festival), EM (Red Bull Theater New Sensibility (in which she originated Play finalist), Little Fellow (2015 the role of Marianne) that premiered O’Neill semi-finalist), Love Poem, off-Broadway with Bedlam Theater and new adaptations of Vanity Fair Company. Sense and Sensibility was (HVSF2) and Pride and Prejudice. named “Top 10 Theater of 2014” Recently produced at Dallas Theater by Ben Brantley of The New York Center, Kate’s Sense and Sensibility Times and by the Huffington Post, will open the Guthrie Theater’s and which called Sense and Sensibility Folger Theatre’s 2016 seasons, while “the greatest stage adaptation of simultaneously continuing its off- this novel in history.” Sense and Broadway run. Vanity Fair will have Sensibility (nominated for a Drama its world premiere off-Broadway with League and off-Broadway Alliance the Pearl Theatre Company in Spring Award) was remounted off-Broadway 2017. in January 2016 and has been extended in that run three times – currently running until October 2016.

Sarah Rasmussen Directors Lab. She served for three seasons as resident director for Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s Black Sarah Rasmussen was appointed Swan Lab, a new work development artistic director of the Jungle program. Theater in Minneapolis in the summer of 2015. She directed the Nationally, Sarah has directed and first show of the 2016 season, an developed new work at the La all-female production of William Jolla Playhouse, Humana Festival, Shakespeare’s The Two Gentlemen Marin Theatre Company, O’Neill of Verona. She was recently named Playwrights Conference, Hangar Best New Face in Theater as part of Theater, SoHo Rep Writer/Director the Star Tribune Best of MN 2016. Lab, PlayPenn, Women’s Project Previously at the Jungle, Sarah Theater, The Lark, and the Dallas directed In the Next Room in 2012, Theater Center. Locally, Sarah has which won the Ivey Award for directed for Ten Thousand Things overall excellence. She most recently and Mixed Blood Theatre. She makes served as associate professor her Guthrie Theater directing debut and head of the M.F.A. Directing with Kate Hamill’s adaptation of Program at the University of Texas the Jane Austen classic Sense and at Austin. She is the recipient of the Sensibility. 2011 Princess Grace Award, Drama League and Fulbright fellowships and is an alum of the Lincoln Center

24 \ GUTHRIE THEATER CULTURAL CONTEXT

A Conversation with Kate Hamill by Madeline Kvale and Sarah Rasmussen Literary Intern

Madeline Kvale: What drew makes them happy. They’re looking to be equal until they get to be the two of you to Sense and for a life that makes sense to them. equally funny and equally unlikable Sensibility, as a playwright and as And that’s something I think we onstage as men are. a director, respectively? can all relate to – men, women, KH: I used to get frustrated when regardless. I would read people’s reactions to Kate Hamill: As an actor I was Austen or even critics’ responses to finding myself often frustrated by MK: When I think of Jane Austen her, because a lot of the time they the kind of roles that women are and Sense and Sensibility, I think focus exclusively on the romance, called in for. A lot of the time you’re “Those are beautiful love stories.” and she is so funny. auditioning for things that are, I But I love that you really were SR: So funny, so fantastic. would argue, “male gaze.” It’s a lot focusing on the relationship KH: If you read her letters to her of auditioning to play someone’s between sisters Marianne and sister, they are like acid. It’s not girlfriend, or someone’s wife, or Elinor. polite. It’s so mean and funny in the someone’s prostitute or someone’s sort of way that you really want to mother. KH: Of course the love stories are go out for a drink with her. also very important, especially I thought to myself, “Well, I love Edward and Elinor’s. But for me it’s MK: What else can Guthrie classic work. What if I could create the sisters; that’s really the central audiences look forward to in Sense a new classic that would pass relationship. That’s what I love about and Sensibility? the Bechdel test*, a new classic Jane Austen – a lot of her stories for women?” And I love Jane have to do with very close female SR: I think this story is absolutely Austen, ever since high school relationships. If you have a sister mesmerizing, and you get totally when I used to sit at home, like or a close female friend who really swept up in the anticipation and the nerd I was, and cry over her shapes you, those are very intense the joy of the ride. I’ve seen it so work. It also particularly appealed emotional relationships in life. many times, and I still find it such a to me because a lot of Austen SR: I love what you brought up satisfying story. adaptations are by men. So even before about the Bechdel test. We KH: I’ve seen grizzled, tough-looking though men love Austen and have just don’t really see enough stories men in the audience just weeping, a perfect right to that material, I of women relating to other women because you have characters who did feel like I had a particular point – both the joys of that, and the struggle to articulate things, and of view to add as a young woman. reality of it, and the challenges and struggle to get what they want the thorniness of it. and who are trying to follow the Sarah Rasmussen: I think Kate’s KH: The very last moment of the rules. And, by circumstance, or by writing just so beautifully play is between the two sisters; it’s happenstance or by good luck, they investigates what’s really at the so beautiful to me that two people get what they’re after. And, oh, that heart of this story. Something that who are so different can learn from is so satisfying. I go back to is: at what cost do we each other, and love each other and SR: These stories change our as women follow and break the have a bond that strong. hearts, they crack them open a rules? The way Kate frames it with little more and make us go out in the Gossips speaks to our current MK: So, beyond those relationships, the world a little bit more brave or culture of how scrutinized women are there other aspects that you hopeful. are; how the gossip mill of Regency think you as female artists are England can tear apart a woman’s bringing to this piece? *Named for American cartoonist Alison Bechdel, the Bechdel test determines whether women are portrayed life, but so can a Twitter feed or a as actual human beings in a work of fiction. To pass the test, a story has to answer “yes” to the following three Facebook post. SR: I like getting to see women be questions: funny. It’s huge to me. It’s actually 1. Are there more than two named female characters? 2. Do those two named characters have a conversation These women are really after a really political thing for me. at any point? finding themselves and finding We need equal opportunities for 3. Is that conversation about literally anything other than a man? what’s true to them and what really women, but women aren’t going

GUTHRIE THEATER \ 25 BUILDING THE PRODUCTION

From the Director: Sarah Rasmussen

Something I always have to do as a with your head, just as there’s a as a gaggle of Gossips. This is a director when I go back to a classic cost to leading with your heart brilliant narrative device because story is ask myself, “Why are we and breaking all the rules. What it moves the story along really telling this story right now – in 2016 Kate does really beautifully in this quickly. Gossip in this play is really in Minneapolis?” There’re many adaptation is she says, “Okay. If delicious, it’s really fun, but it’s also questions that I’m interested in there’s a cost to playing by all the incredibly dangerous. At the time, having the audience engage in with rules and there’s a cost to breaking in Regency England, gossip could this work, and I try to put those the rules, how is a woman to find completely take down a woman’s questions under one umbrella – her way in the world?” I don’t think reputation. I see another parallel what is a core question that I’m I need to point out the parallels to today in social media. The way really interested in us exploring? let you know that this is still a really a Twitter or Facebook feed can That core question illuminated both potent question in our society completely take down somebody’s in Jane Austen’s novel and in Kate today. We ask women to stand world. That’s a parallel that young Hamill’s really incredible adaptation up for themselves, and then when people especially will really is this question about sense versus they do, we said “Well, not that understand. sensibility. loud, and don’t take up that much space!” In addition to the satire at work Marianne, who represents Of course, this question is really in the sense versus sensibility sensibility, is about leading with driven by society, by societal part of this story, there’s also your heart, while Elinor leads with expectations both in Regency a really sincere heart to what her head. And in this story, we England and in our contemporary Austen is writing, and what Kate learn that there’s a cost to playing society. Kate does something really captures as an adaptor as well. The by all of the rules and leading smart with this: she casts society protagonists at the end of the day

26 \ GUTHRIE THEATER From the Director: Sarah Rasmussen

PHOTO BY LAUREN MUELLER

Sarah Rasmussen in rehearsal for Sense and Sensibility.

do find love. And more importantly smart here is to make clear that they each find a love that sees the sisters need to learn from each them as an equal. Elinor and other: Elinor needs to figure out Marianne hold out for that – and how to take risks and put herself they ultimately find it in Edward out there and Marianne needs to and Colonel Brandon. The couples learn how to think a couple steps learn from the journey and find further down the road. We see not somebody who sees them for all one but two female protagonists their flaws and all their delightful onstage, which is so rare for a quirks and all their humanness. One classic and, frankly, so rare for a of the reasons we come back to new play. They are not without Austen again and again is that her their flaws and their fights, and work feels refreshing, timely and their real-life sister interactions, but like something we need as people at the end of the day they become – to know that one can go through closer through their support of really rough-and-tumble journeys each other, and through the way of the heart or in one’s life and still that they work with each other, and come to a place of balance. that is a rare and beautiful thing about this story. The real love story of this play, though, is the story between the Edited from comments made to the cast two sisters. And another thing and staff on the first day of rehearsal that Kate has done that’s really

GUTHRIE THEATER \ 27 BUILDING THE PRODUCTION

From the Costume Designer: Moria Clinton

Sketch of Elinor Dashwood. illustration by Moria Clinton.

28 \ GUTHRIE THEATER BUILDING THE PRODUCTION

them are part of this outer sphere It helps make clear that nobody is apart from the family. We’ve tied a villain in this play: Fanny is also it all closely together with palette. concerned about her children’s From the There’s a lot of imagery of people future, if John doesn’t save this in this period wearing yellow, black money for her family. It makes her and white. For the Gossips we a little more sympathetic person. Costume cover up that yellow and have them Colonel Brandon is our regal upper all in black with little bits of white. statesman, so there’s a carryover They also have an outer layer on, of his military uniform – he likes his Designer: that reflects the way that they get clothes a certain way, and there’s to be commenting from the outside a graceful sort of elegance, a in. They aren’t actually in the middle stoicism about it. Moria Clinton Moria Clinton of the stuff that they’re propagating – they just get to be on the Sarah and I have had many periphery of it. We’re also able to conversations about the Steele Sarah and I were both really have the Gossips use the windows sisters, Lucy and Anne, trying to touched by Kate’s script after and doors of Georgia’s lovely set, so get husbands. Anne is a little bit of reading other adaptations. One of we see them being outside of the Lucy’s burden to bear. They both the lovely things is that it allows for story, commenting in. look at the fashion choices to make you to understand that there are in the world, and Lucy makes more real stakes for these girls – that if Because our two leading ladies sensible ones than Anne does. they don’t marry well, if they don’t barely leave the stage, we do a Anne’s sleeves are too big and she live by the societal expectations, number of things, like layering on has too many ribbons in her hair. that they could be destitute. pieces, so there aren’t big costume There are a number of caricature Because their brother has forgotten shifts from day to day. If you read cartoons from the period with about them after their father’s any of Jane Austen’s work, there’s women wearing the most ridiculous death, they literally are living upon always this sequence where they feather accessories, like there’s a the kindness of strangers. Telling dress up a hat or dress with ribbons separate box in the carriage for a story about women who are or put them in their hair. their hairpieces. So for the ball, trying to find the limited amount we’re going to play with that of agency that they do have is a The clothes help denote whether height, to heighten the drama and big deal! This chorus of Gossips characters are indoors or outdoors. see the danger for Marianne. The comments on and moves the action Marianne and Elinor go out for a ball takes place very quickly, but along, which allows the heart of the picnic and they have their bonnets it does begin to unravel many of play, like those awkward moments on, so that helps earmark going the things the sisters haven’t been between Elinor and Edward, to just in and out. For London, Cleveland telling each other. play out, to be what they are. and thereafter later in the play, we’ll have dresses layered upon dresses. Edited from comments made to the cast I think of the Dashwoods as the Marianne, because she’s the type and staff on the first day of rehearsal. heart of the play; they and their that wears her heart on her sleeve, love interests are that little nugget has a little bit more pink, a little that this chorus is surrounding. bit of that rosier disposition. Elinor In the next layer, we have Mrs. has a cooler palette – more level- Jennings and Sir John who both headed soft greens. get to be characters in the action but also have interactions with this John Dashwood is the only who other outer layer of the Gossips. gets fancy trousers – he’s not One of the first key pieces of getting on a horse any time research that I looked at was soon. For Fanny Dashwood, we portraits of Regency England, just are borrowing from our Dallas the silhouettes, white paper, black production, in that the actor image. That was a jumping off point playing Fanny there was very for us for the Gossips, and all of pregnant, and ours here will be, too.

GUTHRIE THEATER \ 29 From the Set Designer: Georgia Lee

Jolly Abraham as Elinor Dashwood and Remy Auberjonois as Colonel Brandon PHOTO: DAN NORMAN

This is the first time you’ve worked more active a dynamic among the basic elements we would need, to with director Sarah Rasmussen. actors – which is also the type of help the action and the flow of the How did you get involved in the work I enjoy. So they introduced play, but we actually weren’t really project? me to Sarah. She already had done sure where things would be. So a production down in Dallas, but our recent meetings – we actually I designed a production of Pride this case is different – the setting, were up on the deck most of the and Prejudice down at PlayMakers the venue is different, the size of time and then we walk around and Rep quite a few years ago. I think the audience and the specs of the figure things out – were really really Joe Haj remembered that project, production is different. helpful. and that it was a similar approach. Obviously the script is actually I had to do my own survey Because the show does flow so quite different, but the visual yesterday of the Wurtele Thrust, quickly from scene to scene, approach and how you interpret because just seeing the drawing of different interiors and some the piece is quite similar. So, even the theater wasn’t enough. I also exterior, how do you approach though I hadn’t met Sarah, I read saw Harvey, so I could see how the that and what are the challenges? the script and I kind of sensed that mechanics work in the space, the my experience with doing Jane audience, the depth, distance and The challenges would be, as many Austen actually works better in relationship and things like that. We plays face, is the location and this case than the previous one. had come up with some concrete location, without really describing How the play is laid out is quite ideas, because we knew what the surroundings literally for each

30 \ GUTHRIE THEATER scene, because we see the play play, scenes in the play, where it’s I’m from a place where we’re still as an interpretation of a personal very dramatic, somebody having a kind of working on it, so it’s like From the Set Designer: experience. It’s more of like a shocking experience, for instance. it wasn’t classical, it was more person’s vision of the space and The turntable will help convey a of a contemporary play! So Jane how they feel about it, rather than lot about these girls and the world Austen always has been one of Georgia Lee exterior of it. We have to state surrounding, how to represent the those things: “Augh, do I have to those differences of the country gossips more than the body count go through it again?” I’m joking, styles and then London, and going that we have and the duplication but John Steinbeck was almost back to the country. So we’re trying of the body image and the voices. the same, too, because I have a to figure out how we can build It’s going to help move things in an grandfather on my dad’s side that London, but even after we go to interesting way. was talking about when they were London it’s very interior. In a way poor, and when I read it, it’s not like it’s a very enclosed space, because How much of the period do you that far away. So, I had to embrace when they’re in the country there’s feel you need to sort of capture? it and that extra layer of effort. a lot of walking, they can just, “I’m I’m going to follow the proportion going to take a walk,” they can go and the style – the furniture will I personally think that this out. But in London, it’s not like they be in the periodic style, but I’ll production is actually very beautiful can go outside by themselves. So just stripped a lot of elements to watch. It’s not too dedicated we’re trying to create without a big away. That’s so far what we have, to Jane Austen, it’s not following style change – we’re trying to figure the furniture will be in the period that too rigidly, but it’s more of out London right now. There’s style – any fabric and color, and an investigation into characters, I going to be a lot of action using architectural structure that we’re think. the furniture pieces. Is it London we going to have is going to follow see from the outside or is London the sort of order of that period Edited from an interview conducted how the girls are seeing in the room architecture design – there’s a lot of in May. and then seeing the street view. So things to study, on my end anyway, that is the stuff I have to figure out so we’re going to try to do that. from now till next time. That’s my project. Do you have a particular affinity for Jane Austen? You did Pride Do you know at this point if and Prejudice, now Sense and you would use something like a Sensibility … turntable? You know, it is very interesting that We are using a turntable, and the you ask me – it always has been turntable is actually going to be like a burden to me, along with quite active. The first word that John Steinbeck! Because it was came out to figure out like how very difficult for me to approach things flow was the carousel, the high school/freshman college without the riding part – you know English Literature material because how it turns and stops and turns when I was that age, I was actually and stops and then people would learning English in a college level, jump on and jump off, and the which was the biggest gap as an dynamic of the flow, and just the art student because the gap was fun of it. So that was a main thing – like a language gap actually. Now, so the floor configuration is going it’s fine, of course it requires more to be like the olden day carousel, research and study for me because but parquet. English is my second language. I actually didn’t really understand We’re going to have the double it, when I read it. The cultural turntable, a donut shape, so they difference, you know … Now, can counter each other. We’re not when I read the script, I feel the just using the turntable for scene cynicism about who is right and changes or for the people walking. all those things. Back when I first There’s a lot of segments in the encountered it, I had none of those,

GUTHRIE THEATER \ 31 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

For Further Understanding

BOOKS Pool, Daniel. What Jane Austen Sense and Sensibility adapted Ate and Charles Dickens Knew. by Andrew Davies. Directed by Adkins, Roy & Lesley. Jane New York: Simon & Schuster, 1993. John Alexander. Hattie Morahan Austen’s England: Daily Life in the as Elinor, Charity Wakefield as Georgian and Regency Periods. Poplawski, Paul. A Jane Austen Marianne, Dan Stevens as Edward, New York: Penguin Books, 2013. Encyclopedia. Westport, Conn.: David Morrissey as Colonel Greenwood Press, 1998 Brandon and Dominic Cooper as Austen, Jane. The Annotated Willoughby. 2008 Sense and Sensibility. Annotated Tyler, Natalie. The Friendly and Edited by David M. Shapard. Jane Austen: A Well-Mannered New York, Anchor Books, 2011. Introduction to a Lady of Sense & Sense and Sensibility adapted by Sensibility. New York: Viking, 1999. Desiree Naomi Stone. Directed by Austen-Leigh, James. A Memoir Desire Naomi Stone. Sarah Karnes of Jane Austen. London: Century, WEBSITES as Elinor, Rachel Brow as Marianne, 1987. Copeland, Edward, and Cathan Bordyn as Edward, James Juliet McMaster, editors. The http://www.pemberley.com Stone as Colonel Brandon and Cambridge Companion to Jane The Republic of Pemberley Christian Telesmar as Willoughby. Austen. Cambridge: Cambridge 2014 “a modern reboot” University Press, 1997. http://www.gutenberg.net.au/ ebooks03/0300031.txt Byrne, Paula. The Real Jane Project Gutenberg’s text of Austen: A Life in Small Things. Virginia Woolf’s essay “Jane New York: Harper Collins, 2013. Austen” in The Common Reader, 1925 Hughes, Kristine. The Writer’s Guide to Everyday Life in Regency http://www.janeausten.co.uk/ and Victorian England from The Jane Austen Centre in Bath 1811 – 1901. Cincinnati: Writer’s Digest Books, 1998. http://elf.chaoscafe.com/austen/ The Works of Jane Austen Lane, Maggie and David presented by the Electronic Selwyn, editors. Jane Austen: A Literature Foundation Celebration. Manchester: Carcanet Press, 2000. http://www.janeaustensoci.freeuk. com/# Laudermilk, Sharon H., and The Jane Austen Society of the Teresa L. Hamlin. The Regency United Kingdom Companion. New York & London: Garland Publishing, Inc., 1989 FILM Le Faye, Dierdre. Jane Austen: The World of Her Novels. London: Sense and Sensibility adapted Frances Lincoln, Ltd., 2002. by Emma Thompson. Directed by Ang Lee. Emma Thompson as Parrill, Sue. Jane Austen on Film Elinor, Kate Winslet and Marianne, and Television. Jefferson, N.C.: Hugh Grant and Edward, Alan MacFarland & Company, 2002. Rickman as Colonel Brandon and Greg Wise as Willoughby. 1995

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