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Sense and Sensibility
Jane Austen
adapted by Jessica Swale
A Samuel French Acting Edition
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Copyright © 2014 by Jessica Swale
Cover photograph © Michael Wharley
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Sense and sensibility was first presented at the Watermill Theatre,
Newbury in April 2014. The performance was directed by Jessica Swale
and designed by Philip Engleheart, with lighting by Christopher Nairne.
The cast was as follows:
ELINOR DASHWOOD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sally Scott
MARIANNE DASHWOOD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cassie Layton
MARGARET DASHWOOD, LUCY STEELE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Alice Haig
MRS DASHWOOD, MRS PALMER, MISS GREY . . . . . . . . . . . . Jenny Funnell
fanny dashwood, mrs jennings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jane Booker
john dashwood, sir john middleton, doctor harris,
Thomas, Mr Perks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paul Bigley
edward ferrars, ROBERT FERRARS, MR PALMER. . . . Graham O’Mara
cOLONEL bRANDON. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Peter Ormond
willoughby . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . William Owen
CHARACTERS
The play was originally performed by nine actors with the following doubling, but could as easily suit a larger company.
Elinor Dashwood
Marianne Dashwood
Margaret Dashwood / Lucy Steele
Fanny Dashwood / Mrs Jennings
Mrs Dashwood / Mrs Palmer / Miss Grey
Edward Ferrars / Robert Ferrars / Mr Palmer
Colonel Brandon
Willoughby
Sir John / Mr Dashwood / Thomas / Mr Perks / Doctor
Other servants, gossips and ball attendees can be played by members of
the company.
Ideally, the stage requires two areas – a lower forestage and raised
upstage – to allow scenes in two locations to happen simultaneously, as if
cut together on film.
The play is set at the beginning of the 1800s.
AN INTERVIEW WITH JESSICA SWALE
Writer and director Jessica Swale talks about her new adaptation of Sense
and Sensibility for the Watermill.
Jessica, how did you come to work on this project?
When Hedda (Beeby, artistic director at the Watermill) and I were talking about the possibility of adapting a classic novel, we found we shared
a fondness for Sense and Sensibility as, whilst it trips along in an appealing
period setting, it also transcends time. It has all the elements required
for a theatrical drama; brightly painted characters, a gripping narrative, it’s emotional, it’s funny, and it unfolds at pace. Often novels don’t
translate well to the stage as the scope of their world is far too large; to
try and reduce them to a couple of hours can be detrimental. Sense and
Sensibility, however, is like a bright little gem; in essence it is the story of
two sisters and their first encounters with love and society. Whilst Austen
paints a vivid picture of the world around them- a world which I have
endeavoured to capture in the adaptation- there is a simplicity in the tale
which lends it very well to the stage.
What was the process of adapting Jane Austen’s words like?
More daunting in prospect than in execution. I felt a weight of responsibility in taking on such a beloved novel, but when I began the task it
seemed easier to unravel the book than I’d expected. I allowed myself
to imagine encounters and invent scenes- and was surprised be the
degree to which this was necessary. That’s no criticism of her writing,
far from it, but Austen often talks about circumstances rather than playing a scenario out as a scene. Her most powerful writing is her delicious
commentary, so what I had to do was find a way of transferring this into
the mouths of the characters. For example, Austen tells us that there
is a ‘a growing attachment between her eldest girl (Elinor) and the
brother of Mrs John Dashwood (Elinor)’, but rather than writing a scene
in which the two spend time together, instead she has Marianne report
that, when Edward read badly in an evening soirée, Elinor ‘bore it with
composure.’ Theatrically, if we are asking an audience to invest in their
relationship, we must see Edward and Elinor spend time together. It was
my job, therefore, to imagine this reading scene, and to extend it to
allow the couple to have some conversation. It does mean that the play
isn’t an exact replica of the novel on stage, but as she wrote her tale as
a story to be read, not staged, it is my responsibility to ensure it engages
theatrically, whilst absolutely staying faithful to the spirit of her work.
Were there any particular difficulties in adapting this story?
Making the gravitas of the girls’ predicament clear was very important
to me. I’ve often felt the stakes are rather glossed over in beautiful tv
and film adaptations of Austen novels. In 2014, it’s perfectly feasible for
a woman to cope with going through life unmarried, but in Austen’s
day, if a woman’s reputation was lost and she ended up as ‘spoilt goods’,
it was a quick and slippery slope from singledom to penury and the
poorhouse. Women had no rights to property, so they were reliant on
the good will of others or on marriage to keep them afloat. Society was
obsessed with reputation and class, so if you were unlucky enough to
lose your fortune and your good name, it was almost impossible to maintain a safe and solvent life. Austen gives Eliza as an example of a woman
who, despite being born an heiress, through an unhappy marriage and
loss of inheritance, she is swiftly reduced to ‘the most miserable of circumstances’ and dies a painful death in a sponging (debtor’s) house.
Girls like Marianne, Austen warns, may be in danger of a similar fate if
they let their guards down. This is by no means a simple ‘Will she? Won’t
she?’ love story.
What has your own relationship with Jane Austen’s work been?
I first read her as a young teenager, though it wasn’t until Colin Firth’s
emergence from the Lake at Pemberley in the BBC adaptation of Pride
and Prejudice that I think I fell in love with her. Or him. Seeing a vision of
Austen as a fully realised dramatization had a seminal effect on me, and
sparked a flame which has never since been put out. Andrew Davies, the
television adaptor, of course had the advantage of six episodes to play
out the story, lucky man. It helped me appreciate the delicacy and detail
of Austen’s writing; her observation of people is second to none. And
through her, I’ve found a love for many other classical novelists.
So what does Sense and Sensibility have to say about how women live
today?
A great deal, I think. Sense and Sensibility is set at a fascinating point in
history, the turn of the 19th Century; a time when women began to question their situation. Elinor and Marianne are curious about the world.
Elinor believes Edward is lucky because, though he might not be able to
choose any profession, at least he has the possibility of work, and what
a wonderful thing that must be. At the time middle class women hadn’t
the opportunity to work, but it isn’t long before the wheels of change
begin turning and women begin to ask for more opportunities. If only
Austen had been alive to see this in action. For women now, often choosing between work life and family life, the question is as relevant as ever.
We now have more choices, but does that make things easier? Perhaps
not; it certainly makes things more complicated.
How does your version compare to other adaptations?
I’ve neither seen nor read any stage adaptations of the novel as I wanted
to be sure that I worked directly from Austen’s original text. Both Emma
Thompson and Andrew Davies have written stunning adaptations for
film and television respectively, both of which I’d seen when they came
out, but similarly I didn’t allow myself to watch them again until I’d finished my script because it would have been too easy to borrow ideas.
What’s been fascinating since is looking at how each of us clearly run
into the same conundrums and found similar ways of solving them. For
example, the audience (and Elinor) needs to fall in love with Edward
quickly, as it’s not long into the book before they are separated. I’d
imagined she might be won over by his building a relationship with little
Margaret, so I wrote a scene in which he teaches her how to identify stars
and survive in the wilderness. Then, rewatching the others, I realised
we’d all done it! In Thompson’s he teaches her to sword fight and in
Davies he teaches her to ride a horse. It seems we’d all decided to use
Maragaret as a useful pawn in the situation. It’s fascinating.
Can you tell us about your cast for this production?
It’s important to get the dynamics right with Austen. It’s demanding
and requires actors who have the agility to play the wit and comedy, but
who also capture the emotional depths. Sally Scott (Elinor) has plenty
of experience with serious classical texts, but she’s also got a delightful sense of humour, and brings a sensitivity to Elinor that’s essential to
capture her battle between head and heart. Cassie (Marianne) only left
RADA last Summer, but when I saw her in her final productions there, I
was won over by her intelligence and spirit. She and Will Owen, who is
our perfect handsome devil as Willoughby, workshopped the play with
me before Christmas and I offered them both the parts straight away.
Who has been the designer for the show?
Philip Engleheart is one of my very favourite designers, he’s new to the
Watermill though we’ve worked together a great deal. Phil is the most
rigorous and research-savvy man I’ve ever worked with. He’ll meet me
on the first day with four files full of images, sketches and nuggets of
historical information. Between us we’ve walked the streets of Georgian
London, lost days in the annals of the British Library and scoured the
streets of Bath for tidbits of research detail. We’re taking the cast to Jane
Austen’s house. A knowledge of the world of the novel is always essential
if you’re to do it justice.
This is your second visit to the Watermill after Sleuth in 2013. What is it
that draws you to the theatre?
Working on Sleuth was an unparalleled joy – it really was one of the happiest production periods I’ve ever been part of, and so much of that is
due to the spirit of the Watermill. There’s something special about the
isolation; it allows thinking space for creativity, shutting out the noise
of other commitments – or often modern life! I like the simplicity of
living on site without television or distractions. We work long days and
work intensely and for me there’s something very focusing about that. It
means it’s essential to have kind, ego-free company members as we’re all
holed up together. It’s almost like the collaborative theatre groups of the
1950s and ’60s. I love to be in that environment.
Interview by David Pollock
© John Good
Acknowledgements
Thank you firstly to Hedda Beeby for her inviting me to embark on this
adventure. To the cast of the workshop, Susie Trayling, Greg Baxter,
David Fielder, Imogen Smith, Matthew Spencer, Lisa Kerr, Cassie Layton,
William Owen and Jackie Clune, and to the wonderful company who
have brought it to life at the Watermill, both cast and crew. Thanks also
to the team at Samuel French, to Helen Sorren, Michelle Gail, James
Butterworth, to Helen Mumby for her support, to Michael Wharley for
the beautiful photographs and to Michael Lovatt for everything else.
About the watermill
The Watermill mounts some 12 new productions annually, ranging from
Shakespeare and musicals to classics, new plays and youth theatre productions.
As a producing house we assemble a new cast and creative team for each
show, who live here on site throughout the rehearsal and performance
periods, becoming a part of the Watermill family.
Our unique environment encourages a real sense of ensemble and our
intimate 220-seat auditorium also means there is a particularly strong
connection between the actors and audience.
69,000 people attend shows at The Watermill each year, and last year our
work was also seen by over 30,000 people on tours, at theatres around
the UK as well as village halls and small arts centres as part of our rural
tours.
For Michael
“There is no charm equal to the tenderness of the heart.”
Jane Austen
ACT ONE
Scene One: Fifteen Hundred Pounds
(ELINOR, MARIANNE
and MARGARET dashwood are
playing the piano together at Norland Park, a country
estate in Sussex. Their mother, MRS DASHWOOD,
enters, shell-shocked. The girls notice and stop playing,
Margaret last.)
ELINOR. Mother? Is he…is Father…?
(MRS DASHWOOD
nods weakly and tries not to cry.)
MRS D. He didn’t suffer, he just slipped away.
MARGARET. No!
(MARGARET
runs over to her and hugs her round her
waist.)
MARIANNE. It can’t be. He can’t be gone.
ELINOR. At least he is at peace.
(ELINOR
and MARIANNE hug.)
MARGARET. Who will look after us now?
ELINOR. We will all have to look after each other.
MARIANNE. We will be allowed to stay here, won’t we?
MRS D. I’m sure John will be kind.
ELINOR. The house is his by rights.
MARGARET. That’s not fair. He’s already got one.
MARIANNE. He’s got two.
MRS D. We are family. He will look after us.
MARIANNE. Not if Aunt Fanny has anything to do with it.
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sense and sensibility
MRS D. He promised your father he would support us.
We’re each promised fifteen hundred pounds at least.
MARIANNE. (disappointed) Fifteen hundred pounds!
(On the other stage platform, FANNY and MR
DASHWOOD appear. She wears the trousers.)
FANNY. (outraged) Fifteen hundred pounds!
MARIANNE. How on earth would we live on that?
FANNY. What on earth would they do with that?
MRS D. It is very little …
FANNY. Fifteen hundred pounds!
JOHN. But darling—
FANNY. Tell me, what possible claim do the Miss Dashwoods
have on your generosity? Do you want us to be left out
in the cold?
ELINOR. (worried) It is very little to live on.
JOHN. Hmm. What say you to a thousand a piece? Though
I did promise Father I’d do all I could to make them
comfortable.
FANNY. Comfortable! How comfortable do you want them
to be? Silken sheets? Egyptian cotton? One can be
quite comfortable with less than a thousand pound a
year.
JOHN. You couldn’t, my darling.
FANNY. That is beside the point. Would you really see us
impoverished to aid some distant half-bloods?
MRS D. We’re his closest relations. He wouldn’t throw us
out of our own house.
(Time moves forward in the Dashwood house, as JOHN
and FANNY’s scene continues.)
JOHN. How about five hundred a piece?
FANNY. A piece? Five hundred between them would be too
much. Just think how cheaply they will live! They’ll
have no carriage, no horses, no need of servants.
They’ll keep no company and will have no expenses
sense and sensibility
of any kind. They will be much more able to give you
something. And of course, we will have the house.
JOHN. We do already have one.
FANNY. Two. But we will have the house. You must write to
them immediately. Tell them we’ll arrive on Monday.
(A servant delivers a letter to MRS DASHWOOD; the
girls watch her read it.)
JOHN. Sweetheart, don’t you think—
FANNY. It’s a rambling old place, by no means fit for us yet,
but when I’ve finished with it—
MRS D. They are to take the house from us.
MARGARET. They can’t!
ELINOR. And what have they left us? Is it fifteen hundred
for each of us?
MARIANNE. Please not as little as that.
(Pause. MRS DASHWOOD re-reads the letter and looks
away; she can’t quite believe it.)
ELINOR. Mother?
MARGARET. Mother?
(Mother turns away; she cannot speak. ELINOR takes
the letter from her and reads.)
ELINOR. It is five hundred pounds.
(A beat. ELINOR tries not to cry. They are all aware of
the gravity of this discovery.)
MRS D. How will we live?
MARIANNE. It’s all her doing!
MARGARET. Will we have to live under a bridge, like they
do in books?
MARIANNE. I’d rather that than share a house with her.
MRS D. When are they coming?
ELINOR. We are to expect them on Monday.
(In a single beat time moves forward.)
SERVANT. Mr and Mrs Dashwood, Madam.
15
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sense and sensibility
JOHN. My darling sisters, Mrs Dashwood – how good to see
you all.
MRS D. Welcome to Norland. How was your journey?
FANNY. Frightful.
JOHN. Listen, I know this isn’t easy but do think of Norland
as your home still. We don’t want to rush you out of
here, do we Fanny?
FANNY. Oh no. The end of the month will be quite
sufficient.
MRS D. The end of the month!
FANNY. Though if you find somewhere sooner… Now
Madeleine, why don’t you lead the grand tour?
MARGARET. Margaret.
FANNY. I should like to look at the linen cupboards. And
the silver. And then you may show me the gardens. I
fancy I saw a little patch of scrub yonder that might be
flattened for a summer house.
MARIANNE. The blackberry woods? That’s not a patch of
scrub. We’ve the best berries in Sussex. We pick them
every year.
FANNY. You pick them? Yourselves? And what do your
servants do here, sit about playing piquet? Quite
extraordinary. Lead the way, Millicent.
MARGARET. Margaret!
MARIANNE. Meg, why don’t you show Aunt Fanny your
collection?
FANNY. A collection? How lovely. What do you collect,
Mabel? Silver thimbles?
MRS D. I don’t think Aunt Fanny would like/your—
MARGARET. Here.
(She takes something out of her pocket carefully and
presents it to her aunt. FANNY screams.)
FANNY. Argh!
MARGARET. It’s a stag beetle.
FANNY. John, make her throw it away this minute!
sense and sensibility
MARGARET. But I’m going to be a naturalist.
FANNY. I think perhaps I’ll find my own way around
the house. Oh, and my brother Edward will arrive
tomorrow. He will have the bedroom at the front, the
one with the view.
MARGARET. But that’s my room.
FANNY. That’s settled then.
(They go on inside.)
MARGARET. But it’s my bedroom, Mama!
MRS D. Meg – a stag beetle! It could have been poisonous.
MARIANNE. If only it had been.
ELINOR. By the end of the month! How are we to find a
house by then?
MRS D. We must write to everyone we know, and beg.
Really, to be degraded to the condition of visitors in
our own house. It is insufferable! I shall be glad to be
gone, I tell you.
MARIANNE. I won’t. This is our home. The gardens, the
bumbles, she has no right! She called the blackberry
woods ‘a patch of scrub’! I will never forgive her, never,
as long as I live!
(She storms inside.)
ELINOR. We’d better go in.
MARGARET. (hugely distressed) Elinor… I’ve lost my beetle!
ELINOR. Come on, I’ll help you find another one.
MARGARET. But I liked him.
17
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sense and sensibility
Scene Two: The Joys of a Stroll
SERVANT. Mr Edward Ferrars.
FANNY AND MRS D. Welcome to—
(They both break off - whose job is it to be hostess?)
MRS D. I am sorry.
FANNY. Welcome to Norland Park, Edward.
JOHN. Good to see you, my man.
EDWARD. Thank you, thanks.
JOHN. Edward, this is Mrs Dashwood, Miss Dashwood,
Miss Marianne and Miss Margaret Dashwood.
EDWARD. What a delight to make your acquaintance
Mrs Dashwood, Miss Dashwood, Miss Marianne and
Miss Margaret Dashwood.
MARGARET. Are you to live in our house too?
ELINOR. Meg!
EDWARD. No, ma’am, though I’m delighted to visit. I do
think Sussex is the finest county in the country.
FANNY. You ought to travel more.
EDWARD. I don’t know. The north may have the lakes and
peaks, and Cornwall the cliffs, but Sussex – there
is nowhere quite like it for admiring the seasons
changing and the magnificent birdlife.
MARGARET. Elinor likes birds. She draws them all the time.
ELINOR. Margaret!
EDWARD. Do you, Miss Dashwood?
ELINOR. Only for my own amusement. It’s nothing really.
EDWARD. I say. Well, I saw two partridges and the most
elegant jay as I rode up the driveway, cavorting in
some rather sumptuous looking blackberry bushes – I
do hope we might have an expedition to pick some
later.
MRS D. Lovely.
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