Finding love always seemed to work out well in the end for Jane Austen’s heroines, Austen’s books were filled with honourable gentleman such as Mr Darcy, Henry Tilney and Captain Wentworth, but Lilliana (Alexandra Jorgensen) hasn’t yet found her beau and wonder’s how she can do this. Maybe, a wander into the modern world of dating may help! Jorgensen (also the writer), plays Lilliana, a young lady who seems to have been passed over by men, whilst her friends and family receive plenty of attention. Beginning the tale in Austen era costume, Jorgensen’s character compares the world of dating in Austen’s period, to how we date today.
It is an interesting comparison, and leads us into the world of dating apps, and consent. Who would not be charmed by a story including Jane Austen, but however charming this play is, it felt a little clumsy in places. The performance space is small, and it seemed a little overcrowded with props which hindered Jorgensen’s movement around the stage. The writing is perceptive, but it would benefit from some tidying up, and due to the overcrowded stage, Jorgensen did sometimes appear to be focusing more upon not falling over her props, than her performance.
My feeling with this play is that it is an incredibly good concept, but it does need more work with the presentation, and the writing could have more depth. I am not sure if the play was originally longer (it was advertised as 45 mins), but at 30 minutes it had enough content, but without a re-write, I feel that this length is enough.
In summary, this is an excellent idea for a play, which is not quite there yet, but it should be developed as it has exciting potential.
The play runs until the 12th August, and you can book your tickets here – https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on#q=%22Tales%20of%20a%20Jane%20Austen%20Spinster%22
Reviewer: Caroline Worswick
Reviewed: 4th August 2023
North West End UK Rating:
Rating: 2 out of 5.
