Ten days of Jane
the 19th jane austen festival is taking place in
bath in september.jackieherring, the festival
director, raises the curtain on this year’s
programme. pictures from last year’s festivalI
n june 1799 Jane Austen wrote, from
her lodgings at 13 Queen Square, “...
there is to be a grand gala... in Sydney
Gardens; – a Concert, with
Illuminations and fireworks; to the latter I
look forward with pleasure...”. The opening
event of this year’s Jane Austen Festival Bath,
the famous and spectacular Grand Regency
Costumed Promenade will, for the first time,
be starting in those same Sydney Gardens,
behind the Holburne Museum, on Saturday,
September 14. The procession will proceed
along the length of Great Pulteney Street,
cross Pulteney Bridge, head up Broad Street,
along George Street, down Milsom Street
and from there via High Street to Orange
Grove, finishing in Parade Gardens
accompanied by the magnificent 33rd
Regiment of Foot.
Afterwards, the Guildhall will be
the venue for the popular Festival Fayre,
with stalls offering Regency costume,
haberdashery and beautiful hats – as well as
the opportunity to subscribe to Jane Austen’s
Regency World magazine, catch up on back
issues and meet the editor, Tim Bullamore.
The fayre opens slightly earlier than inprevious years, running from 11.30am until
3.30pm, during which time Charles the
silhouettist will no doubt cut well over 50
silhouettes – his scissor speed and skill is hard
to believe.
Later, the Natural Theatre Company’s
hilarious theatrical tour Austen Undone! meets
outside the Assembly Rooms, known in the
18th century and referred to in Northanger
Abbey, as the Upper Rooms. This special
building, where Jane Austen danced in 1801
and “... had all my finery much admired...”,
will be the venue for the popular Country
Dance Ball. With card tables, finger buffet
supper, announcements from the master of
ceremonies, dancing to the Fortuna Trio and
calling by Liz Bartlett of the Jane Austen
Dancers, the ball will be a perfect end to an
extremely busy first day of the festival.
There are two premieres at this year’s
festival. Catherine Curzon, in collaboration
with Adrian Lukis, who played Mr Wickham
in the BBC’s Pride & Prejudice, has produced
Being Mr Wickham, which takes place on
September 15. On his 60th birthday George
Wickham recounts his version of some
infamous events in his past. Meanwhile, the