“a wonderful tribute to the talent and wit of Jane Austen“
Beth Spencer
4 Jane Austens
La Mama
Melbourne
Jul 17 – Jul 28 2024
As someone who has long admired the work of Jane Austen, but knows little of her life, I was intrigued to learn more through the production of By Jane’s Hand at La Mama theatre.
Crafted by mother and daughter team of Emma and Olivia O’Brien, the piece is based on Jane Austen’s own words drawn from her surviving letters and scenes from her seminal novel Pride and Prejudice. Interwoven throughout the witty and direct observations of 19th century polite society are a collection of folk songs, arias, and dances of the time that were transcribed among Jane Austen’s written collections.
By Jane’s Hand is presented in three short acts, with Act One focusing on the observations she shared through her letters, particularly to her sister Cassandra. Here we meet not one, but three Janes, each highlighting a different aspect of Jane Austen’s personality. Jane One was played powerfully by Olivia O’Brien, with Isha Menon’s Jane Two highlighting the playful, and Marjorie Hannah’s Jane Three presenting a thoughtful version of the famous author. The trio worked well together exchanging quick-fire dialogue and passing themes and characters between them effortlessly.
In Act Two selected scenes from Pride and Prejudice were presented using different headwear to represent and transition the portrayal of characters from the book between the Janes. Act Three returned to Jane’s own letters to her sister celebrating the publication of Pride and Prejudice.
A highlight of the piece was the beautiful music and musical performances of the Jane’s primarily on piano, violin, and harp, but also sometimes involving lesser-known instruments such as the Appalachian Dulcimer and the Shrutti Box. The harmonies of the vocals were delightful, and the music fitted seamlessly with the dialogue and action.
The visual design of the work, by Emma and Henry O’Brien, was inspired by its literary theme. It involved set pieces and costumes (by Susan Hall) covered in decoupaged text, while the stage was littered with pieces of paper representing the many letters Jane composed to family and friends. The piece was well directed (by Emma O’Brien) with a quick pace and good definition of character changes. I did feel a couple of humorous moments were perhaps lost due to the pace in some parts, but on the whole the audience seemed very engaged with the way the play moved through difference glimpses into Jane’s life.
For lovers of Jane Austen, this piece offered an entertaining insight into her character and characters. For music lovers, it was an exploration of the music of Jane Austen’s time performed beautifully by a trio of talented musicians and vocalists. And for theatre lovers it was a well-crafted piece where all elements came together in a wonderful tribute to the talent and wit of Jane Austen.
Beth Spencer, Theatre Now
