Jane Austen’s ‘Northanger Abbey’

If, like me, you love Jane Austen you may be wary of people messing about with her work. Have no fear, you’re likely to delight in Box Tale Soup’s ingenious version of her funniest novel. Told with charming papier-mâché puppets, ‘Gothic’ music and gratifying fidelity to the plot and tone of the original, this was an unalloyed pleasure. Just two performers, forever swapping accents, poses and gender, presented a full cast of Regency folk. We got all the romance, agitation and wit of the novel in just one hour, in no way rushed and very clear, a triumph of stagecraft.

Upstairs at Three and Ten Theatre, 5 October 2013

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