It is a truth universally acknowledged...
...that Jane Austen was one of the wittiest observers of human relationships and female friendships who ever put pen to parchment.
Rachel Parris
By A Lady will be (delightfully) performed by Rachel Parris
(Austentatious, Live at the Apollo, The Mash Report)
- alongside another (beguiling) principle actress, soon to be announced.
Set against a sparkling musical backdrop - that surprises as much as it delights - we invite you to loosen your stays, and enjoy this celebration of Austen’s wit, sharpness, and her sheer delight in the foibles of human behaviour.
By A Lady tells Jane Austen’s life story from her own writing, woven with favourite moments from the immortal characters she created, including Elizabeth and Jane, Emma and Harriet, the Dashwood sisters, Mrs Bennet, and (hold on to your bonnets) Lady Catherine de Bourgh - not forgetting Mr Bennet, Darcy, Captain Wentworth, Mr Collins, and many more.
Jane Austen’s words are (respectfully) penned by Deirdre Shields,
and (graciously) directed by Judy Reaves, with music (mischievously) arranged by David Le Page (Violin), with Nick Stringfellow (Cello).
Originally commissioned by, and presented at,
Stratford Literary Festival 2025.
and was performed by Juliet Stevenson and Sally Phillips