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Jane Austen's Lady Susan

Full-Length Play, Comedy  /  4w, 3m

Adapted by Rob Urbinati

Jane Austen's comic novella – about a young widow's brilliant scheming in turn-of-the-19th-century English society – comes to life in Rob Urbinati's delightfully witty stage adaptation.

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Jane Austen's Lady Susan

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    4w, 3m
  • Duration
    Duration
    120 minutes (2 hours)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Adaptation (Literature), Period
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult, Teen (Age 14-18)

Details

Summary

In Rob Urbinati's charming and fast-paced period comedy, Lady Susan, a young widow, flees London and arrives at the country home of her obliging brother-in-law and his suspicious wife. Soon to come – uninvited – are an eligible suitor, her willful daughter, her chatty confidante and a dimwitted bachelor. Lady Susan schemes for position and wealth, but all does not go according to plan as she and her daughter become rivals for the same man.

History

Jane Austen’s Lady Susan made its world premiere at Good Theater at the St. Lawrence Arts Center in Portland, Maine on November 2, 2021. Directed by Brian P. Allen and James Noel Hoban, the production featured Joseph Bearor, Hannah Daly, Nathan Gregory, Brynn Lewallen, Jay Mack, Halsey Redman and Amy Roche.

Keywords
Performing Groups

(4 female, 3 male)

LADY SUSAN – 30s. An attractive, manipulative widow.
FREDERICA – Teens. Lady Susan’s clever, guileless daughter.
CHARLES VERNON – 30s, Lady Susan’s patient, obliging brother-in-law.
CATHERINE VERNON – 20s. Charles Vernon’s suspicious wife.
REGINALD DE COURCY – 20s. Catherine Vernon’s dashing younger brother.
ALICIA JOHNSON – Older. Lady Susan’s chatty confidante.
SIR JAMES MARTIN – 30s. A wealthy, dimwitted (possibly overweight) bachelor.

  • Time Period 18th Century
  • Features Period Costumes
  • Duration 120 minutes (2 hours)

Media

“Buoyant, witty comedy... A deliciously verbal comedy of manners.” – Portland Phoenix

“Delightful... thoroughly engaging and highly entertaining... [brings] home the message that female resourcefulness, when called upon, can be an art form in itself.” – Portland Press Herald


“Breathtakingly stunning... Taking its inspiration from Jane Austen, this 21st-century work has all the eloquence of an early 19th-century classic, as it explores the intricate, timeless mating games that seem as relevant today as they did more than 200 years ago.” – Broadway World


“Rob Urbinati’s Lady Susan captures the essence of Jane Austen’s story, as well as her humor. Today’s women can easily understand that Lady Susan ‘seduces and schemes’ because she has no options – she cannot get a job or own property. The plight of a penniless widow trying to make a life for herself and her daughter is effectively conveyed with sympathy and biting wit. I enjoyed Jane Austen’s Lady Susan very much!” – Carolyn Jack, The Jane Austen Society of North America

Videos

  • Jane Austen's Lady Susan - Good Theater Promo youtube thumbnail

    Jane Austen's Lady Susan - Good Theater Promo

Licensing & Materials

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

Scripts

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Authors

Rob Urbinati

Rob Urbinati
Rob Urbinati is a freelance playwright, screenwriter, book author and theater director based in New York City. He is also director of new play development at Queens Theatre.

Rob was born in Framingham, Massachusetts and currently resides in New York City. He received a BA from ...

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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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