If you’re in love with the Regency period, revel in masterworks such as Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield Park then this coming week is a feast.
The Jane Austen Festival is slated for Friday, Sept. 14 through Saturday, Sept 22. It’s a total immersion is the romance of the Regency era, a trip to a time of elegance, whispered secrets and proper manners.
- It’s Saturday, Sept. 15 that Austen admirers have circled. That’s when the Grand Regency Costumed Promenade makes its way through the streets of Bath, beginning at Queen Square. The promenade (this is no mere parade) is accompanied by red coats and naval officers. A town crier leads the way. The out-of-time procession lasts but an hour, ending up in Parade Gardens.
- On Sunday, Sept. 16, dust off Austen’s Bath-based novels Northanger Abby and Persuasion and take a walking tour around the city, passing by the places she knew so well. Don’t care to walk? Monday, Sept. 17 take a mini-bus tour to the likes of Camden Place and Beechen Cliff.
- Drawing rooms played an important role in the life of Regency England. Attend a recital Tuesday evening, Sept. 18 and chew on the talk of the day while the music soothes workaday woes.
- Seems everything’s being rendered into a musical these days. Wednesday, Sept. 19 is set aside this year for the performance of Sense & Sensibility, The Musical. Festival promoters say it’s suffused with beautiful costuming and haunting melodies. Best bring along a few packets of tissues for the tears. This musical version of Sense & Sensibility is penned by Karen Hamer.
Bath is located some 97 miles west of London and a close 13 miles southeast of Bristol.
(Image: cheksley)
