As Jane Austen was writing, what did she imagine about her characters’ bodies in spaces, in contact with specific objects, speaking, listening, watching, in a moment of time? She is asking us to experience ‘being there’ as the story unfolds – as we are (if lucky) at a theatre. In this talk, Dr Penny Gay will revisit favourite scenes, and focus on scenery, properties, and characters’ movements – accompanied by a few unusual visual images she has collected over the years.
Penny Gay is Professor Emerita in English at the University of Sydney, where she taught for 35 years. Her 2002 book Jane Austen and the Theatre was the culmination of many years of thinking about the unique qualities of Austen’s novels. Penny has also published extensively on Shakespeare. She has been retired for some 15 years, which allows her to spend more time in London, exploring these themes, and enjoying her English family and grandchildren.