Everything you need to know as Pride and Prejudice (*sort of) sweeps into Blackpool

Pride and Prejudice (*sort of) sweeps in from Tuesday May 2 to Saturday May 6 2023 direct from its triumph in the West End, where it won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Comedy. Men, money and microphones will be fought over in this irreverent but affectionate adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, where the stakes for the Bennetts, the Bingleys and the infamous Mr Darcy couldn’t be higher when it comes to romance. The ‘smart, laugh out loud funny’ show featuring a soundtrack of top pop classics including Young Hearts Run Free, Will You Love Me Tomorrow and You’re So Vain.

The popularity of Jane Austen’s literary works leads many people to believe she must have been a hugely prolific writer, producing many novels in the like of Charles Dickens or Agatha Christie. In fact, she produced just six, with each one offering something different, fascinating, and captivating. Debating which of Jane Austen’s novels is the best is incredibly personal to many of her fans. Exploring all six is the only way to really get to know just what each of her novels brings to the table and choose the one you love the most.

JANE AUSTEN’S GREAT WORKS

They include Northanger Abbey, one of two novels published after Jane Austen’s death in 1817. However, it was also the first she sold to a publisher and is one of the lightest and most satirical. A traditional coming-of-age tale which derides the classic Gothic novel, the story follows the naïve and young Catherine Morland as she tries to gain a better understanding of the wider world. Her views are distorted, however, by her love for Gothic literature and her imaginative nature. The book’s hero is the patronising Henry Tilney, and both he and Catherine are mocked throughout the novel, making this a witty, gently funny read.

Sense and Sensibility was the first novel published in Jane Austen’s lifetime and is often cited as the most well-rounded and balanced of all her works. The relationships Jane Austen is famous for crafting are perfectly at play and this novel also shows off the best of her talent and ability throughout the tale. Published in 1811 with the infamous by-line ‘by a lady’, it tells the story of the Dashwood sisters as they come of age and their romances and experiences as they grow. The love stories are not quite as compelling as those seen in Austen’s most famous work, but the sisterly love between Marianne and Elinor is captivating and seen as a representation of Austen’s relationship with her own sister Cassandra.

Mansfield Park was released in 1814 and is probably the darkest of Jane Austen’s books, but this doesn’t make it any less enjoyable with witty satire throughout and morally uptight characters portrayed as humourless and lightly mocked. The most psychologically complex of all her novels, Mansfield Park is the story of Fanny Price who finds herself sent to live with rich relatives at the age of 10 and live out her life under the scrutiny of her contemporaries. Fanny’s characterisation is some of the finest in English Literature, as she becomes preoccupied and obsessed with her cousin Edmund, who moves away from her as he grows older.

Emma was first published in December 1815 and follows the familiar themes and styles of Jane Austen’s other novels - with a Regency age woman as the protagonist and her experiences explored in depth throughout the plot. Jane Austen famously described her heroine, Emma Woodhouse, as ‘a heroine whom no one but myself will much like,’ yet readers were captivated by her. Jane Austen gave us more of Emma than almost any other character, allowing readers right inside her head to see all Emma’s self-delusions which are at odds with her actions and behaviour. The plot follows our spoiled heroine as she attempts to matchmake for others, ‘help’ in their lives and more often than not ends up leading people astray. Emma was the last novel published in Jane Austen’s lifetime.

While Mansfield Park is considered the darkest of Jane Austen’s work, Persuasion is perhaps the most melancholy and lyrical. Persuasion was published in December 1817, 6 months after her death. The story concerns the life of Anne Elliot, whose family choose to rent out their home to an admiral and his wife. However, the brother of the admiral’s wife happens to be a former lover of Anne’s and after seven years apart, this is a chance for them to reacquaint themselves with each other. In typical Jane Austen style, this means plenty of romantic moments, but also opportunities for unexpected and humorous encounters. Persuasion is deep, beautiful and a truly enduring story about love and stands out from her other novels as it shows Austen taking inspiration from the Romantic writers of the period and producing something a lot more serious and considered.

Any exploration of Jane Austen’s novel has to end with Pride and Prejudice. Arguably the most famous and definitely the most imitated and adapted. Even people who have never read Austen have heard of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy. Pride and Prejudice was published in 1813 and follows Elizabeth Bennet as she enters society and finds the most suitable marriage. Throughout the novel Elizabeth learns how damaging quick judgements can be and the difference between authentic goodness and those simply masquerading. It’s a charming novel that readers fall in love with and find themselves rooting for Elizabeth and hoping she finds her place in the world. Austen also gently mocks the hero Fitzwilliam Darcy until he sees the error of his ways and recognises looking down on people is never an attractive quality.

Pride and Prejudice (*sort of) is at Blackpool Grand Theatre from Tuesday May 2 to Saturday May 6 2023. Visit blackpoolgrand.co.uk