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Persuasion (James)

Full-Length Play, Comedy  /  5f, 4m, 1boy(s)

by Jane Austen
Adapted by Jeff James
With James Yeatman

This bold new adaptation brings all the sharp observation and quick wit of Austen’s novel to the stage, without a bonnet in sight.

Persuasion (James)

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    5f, 4m, 1boy(s)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Adaptation (Literature)
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult

Details

Summary

If you can't find a husband in Bath, you won't find one anywhere.

When Captain Wentworth proposed to Anne eight years ago, he had only love and ambition to offer. Talked out of accepting his proposal by her family, Anne’s never quite got over her first love.

But now Wentworth is back. Rich, successful and single, the handsome Captain has been transformed into a serious catch. When circumstances bring the two face to face again, Anne Elliot is forced to confront the past. As old wounds reopen, will Wentworth’s resentment keep him away, and will Anne finally decide what she really wants?

In 2017, the bicentenary of Persuasion’s publication and of Jane Austen’s death, this bold new adaptation brings all the sharp observation and quick wit of Austen’s novel to the stage, without a bonnet in sight.

History
Persuasion was first produced by the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, on 1 June 2017, with previews from 25 May 2017.
Performing Groups
  • Setting

    Kellynch, Uppercross, Lyme Regis and Bath

Media

★★★★ “Sparklingly intelligent and very funny. Austen would have loved it.” – The Times

★★★★ “When I tell you that the visit to Lyme Regis features a bikini foam party, those devoted to crinoline may take fright. Do not fear… I was hooked.” – The Guardian

★★★★ “A riot of soapsuds and sexual tension… It’s a terrific tribute to Austen in the bicentenary year of her death.” – The Telegraph

★★★★ “The entire production is as provocatively contemporary as you can get.” – The Stage

★★★★ “Not only does Austen suddenly seem our contemporary, we start to seem like hers. Her characters are like people again – not just literary tropes and lace fans.” – WhatsOnStage

“Ruthlessly 21st-century Austen retelling is tons of riotous fun.” – Evening Standard

“Joins a tradition of funny, affectionate dramatic pastiches of Jane Austen’s beloved novels.” – Financial Times

“Audacious Austen comedy is joyfully silly.” – The Guardian

“This adaptation is bold [and] silly.” – WhatsOnStage

“Jeff James’ re-imagining of Jane Austen’s final novel is full of wit and wisdom.” – Broadway World

“A mischievously fun modern take on Jane Austen’s Persuasion.” – The Telegraph

“An entertaining take on a classic novel.” – Gay Times

ON BREAKING CHARACTER

Alternative Austen: New Adaptations and Fresh Versions of Jane Austen Classics

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: £55 per performance plus VAT when applicable.

Scripts

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Authors

Jane Austen

Jane Austen
Jane Austen (1775–1817) was an English novelist known primarily for her six novels, which implicitly interpret, critique and comment upon the British landed gentry of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Her novels include the anonymously published Sense and Sensibility (1 ...
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Jeff James

Jeff James
Jeff James’ work as a director includes La Musica at the Young Vic; Stink Foot at The Yard, which he adapted from Sophocles’ Philoctetes; One For the Road and Victoria Station at the Young Vic and Print Room.
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