If your a Jane Austen fan, then Lizzy, Jane, Kitty adn Lydia are likely to be the Bennet sisters you remember from Pride and Prejudice.
But in a new follow-on to the story, it’s their anxious and awkward sister Mary who takes center stage.
“I came to [Jane] Austen as a kid from croydon, in my teens, thinking that she couldn’t possibly have anything to say to me,” says Sarah quintrell, screenwriter for the upcoming BBC drama the Other Bennet Sister.
Though, after reading the author’s works, she couldn’t believe how connected she felt to Austen’s characters. It was as though she “knew everybody” in the 19th century novels, she says.
The new TV series, based on the novel of t
Why Jane Austen Still Matters 250 Years On
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A new adaptation of Pride and Prejudice – focusing on the often-overlooked Mary Bennet – is hoping to draw a fresh audience to Jane Austen’s work. But what is the enduring appeal of her novels?
The series, Mary & Kitty, follows the quieter Bennet sisters as they navigate love and society.While Elizabeth and Jane often steal the spotlight, this adaptation aims to give Mary and Kitty their own stories.
“we wanted to explore what happens to the sisters who aren’t the golden children,” says screenwriter Sarah Quintrell. “What happens to the ones who are a bit awkward, a bit overlooked?”
The show’s approach is reflected in its portrayal of Mary Bennet. Actress Ella Bruccoleri, who plays the teenage Mary, says she was drawn to the character because she’s an “atypical period drama heroine” who is anxious, awkward and possesses none of the poise other Regency period protagonists hold.
Quintrell adds: “She’s the odd one out. It’s really hard for her to find her place in the world.And I think that that will really resonate with a modern audience.”
The screenwriter encourages young people to engage with Austen’s fictional worlds, as she has. “You will find so much that’s recognisable.”
On Tuesday, it is austen’s 250th birthday. With Pride and Prejudice published in 1813, why do the cast and crew of this new drama think her work continues to speak to people?
Coming of age
BBC/Bad Wolf/James Pardon
Mary’s color of dress continues to shift a
Modern Austen
Bruccoleri says Austen’s dry, funny writing provides sharp societal commentary without shoving its message “down your throat”.
“Mrs Bennet just doesn’t value Mary in the way that she values the other sisters, because she sees their values as so closely linked to their marriageability,” she says.
Molly Wright, who plays Kitty adds that Austen is “so ahead of her time” in her views on “marriage and feminism” in Pride and Prejudice.
Hogg-Robinson, who plays Lydia, says that it took her time to realize “how accurate and insightful” Austen’s works were after skim-reading them for her GCSEs and then picking them up later as an adult.
She says that Austen’s perspective on love and relationships continue to resonate, and points to a TikTok trend which centres on how Mr Darcy changes his behavior to win over Lizzy in the original novel.
“Everyone was doing that [trend] ‘Well, if he wanted to, he would’, and Jane Austen got that 250 years ago,” she explains.
[Image of Richard E Grant as Mr Bennet and Ruth jones as Mrs Bennet. Caption: Richard E Grant plays Mr Bennet and Ruth Jones plays Mrs Bennet in the new series.]
“The Other Bennet Sister” Promises a Fresh Look at Pride and Prejudice
A new BBC series, “The Other Bennet Sister,” aims to expand the world of jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice by focusing on the often-overlooked Mary Bennet. The series promises a more intimate and relatable portrayal of the Bennet family, moving beyond the grand ballrooms to explore the everyday lives of the sisters.
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-67639999
The show stars Ella Bruccoleri as Mary Bennet and Laurie Davidson as Mr. Ryder. Bruccoleri hopes the series will inspire viewers to identify with her character, stating she would be thrilled if people finished the show and said, “I’m a mary Bennet.”
Screenwriter Katherine quintrell expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to contribute to the Pride and Prejudice legacy, noting the enduring relevance of the characters and their emotional journeys. She and novelist Lizzie Hadlow were motivated to continue the Bennet sisters’ story because of the timelessness of Austen’s work.
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-67639999
Producer Sarah Gilbert describes the series as a “behind-the-scenes” look at Pride and Prejudice, showcasing the Bennet siblings in more candid and relatable moments, such as everyday conversations and caring for their family pet.
Quintrell also emphasized the importance of making Austen’s work more accessible, sharing her personal experience of feeling excluded from engaging with the novels as a young person. She hopes “The Other Bennet Sister” will demonstrate that Austen’s themes resonate with audiences from all backgrounds.
https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-67639999
“The Other Bennet Sister” is coming soon to the BBC.
Additional reporting by Samuel Spencer.
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