Chock full of comic characters, witty banter and clever ideas which fly off in all directions, Laura Wade’s take on Jane Austen’s unfinished novel The Watsons provides a sparkling entertainment.

During her busy years in Bath, Jane Austen began a novel featuring the Watsons, a family of 4 unmarried sisters, a married brother living away, an apprenticed brother, an ailing ex-clergyman father, and their only servant, Nanny. Emma, at 19, has been unceremoniously returned to this rather desperate family after a happy childhood with a kind and wealthy aunt. The neighbourhood can produce an array of possible friends, rivals and suitors for Emma, ranging through the aristocratic Osborne family, Lord Osborne’s raffish friend Tom Musgrove, the clergyman, Mr. Howard, and several officers stationed in the village. As well, brother Robert has invited Emma for a long visit, when she might meet other prospects.

All Jane Austen’s issues of female independence, income, class, propriety, marriage and love are present but how she might have played the possible permutations is left to the imagination. At this point in the story, Jane Austen stopped drafting this novel and never returned to it. At this point in the story, enter Laura, playwright, author, thoroughly modern. She is determined to finish the story.

Once Laura enters the Watson’s world, ostensibly to understand it better before deciding on the proper outcomes for the characters, she cannot resist interfering. Soon Laura’s cover as a maid is blown, and Emma is horrified to find she is fictional -- And in the hands of an authoritarian author -- One with writer’s block. There follows meta-theatrical mayhem with all the characters set on determining their own lives themselves, and Laura driven to collapse trying to control them. It is gloriously funny.

Director Joan Bryans drives the play forward with controlled speed against an elegant, but blank, Georgian backdrop (by Todd Parker) and a few chairs which gives room for the large cast and multiple scene changes. Useful lighting (Jack Mosher) shapes place and time and music and dance choreography by Pat Unruh and Danica Kobayashi respectively add charm, energy and even commentary. The fabulous 18th century fashions, courtesy Catherine E. Carr, lend colour, style and grace.

Bracha Burke is delightful as Emma, naïve, curious, intelligent and brimming with enthusiasm. Given a torrent of words, she is expressive and impressively varied. Completely different but no less impressive, Claire DeBruyn's Laura is as modern in her speech and movement as the rest of the cast is more formal. She gives her needy, bossy character sensitivity and intelligence.

The rest of the ensemble maintain an excellent sense of period throughout as well as a shared sensibility. The gift of humour has been showered on Samuel Walmsley-Byrne. His dim and tongue-tied Lord Osborne was a hoot. Ryan Reid as a raffish captain Bertie and Andy Oshima as Tom Musgrove were happily caddish. Nanny, Liz Connors sporting a warm country accent, astonished with a rousing speech on the rights of women. In a scene of great tenderness, she and Rebecca Walters (Lady Osborne) write their own surprising destiny. Riaan Smit’s stuffy Robert Watson comes alive at the idea of the telephone. Matt Loop was a solid member of the clergy as Mr. Howard. Young Dylan Mah (Charles Howard) nearly stole the show with his indignation on learning he would be 10 forever and never experience adult delights. He kept a strong presence throughout. Hannah Everett as Elizabeth, the put-upon oldest sister, Jessica O’Gorman as Margaret, the man-hungry sister, and Lindsay Nelson as the snobbish sister-in-law, Mrs. Roberts, were all excellent, each with strong character arcs rising to deliciously comic moments. In the smaller parts, Cheryl-Lee Fast (Miss Osborne), Claudia Golombiewski (Mrs. Edwards) and Diego Morelli (James and Mr. Watson) had delightful cameo moments while being strong ensemble members.

Austen purists might complain that another sister and brother are not part of this play and that Mr. Watson is in much better ill-health in the novel than he is on stage. So be it. This is a seriously funny play tackling free will, authoritarianism, societal limitations, literary criticism, creativity and much, much more.

©2025 Elizabeth Paterson