Chichester gets a slice of the celebrations for the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth with a new stage adaptation of Austen’s comedy of manners, Emma (Tuesday-Saturday, November 4-8).

The beautiful, high-spirited Emma Woodhouse is determined that she will never marry but loves to meddle in her friends’ and neighbours’ relationships. When her confidante and former governess, Miss Taylor weds her fiancé Mr Weston, Emma, having introduced the couple, takes credit for the marriage and decides that a future in matchmaking lies ahead of her…

Playing Emma is India Shaw-Smith, soon to be seen on TV in Spartacus: House of Ashur: “We opened in Bath, and it was wonderful. It was during the Jane Austen Festival for the 250th anniversary, and this was a lovely one to do. There is something about Emma that people always return to. All of Austen’s novels are of course wonderful but there is something about Emma that I think people especially connect to because it is just so witty and romantic and so very human.”

As for Emma herself: “She is loveably unlikable! Jane Austen herself wrote ‘I am going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like’, and there is some truth in that. She's such a witty character but she can be a bit of a bossy tyrant. But her heart is in the right place. She is the central figure in this town and you have got all her meddling, but all her meddling is done with the best intentions. She wants people to be happy but sometimes the tactics she uses can be a little bit questionable! But I think we all recognise something of ourselves in her. We see ourselves reflected and I think that's what makes us respond to her.

placeholder image — India Shaw Smith - pic by Simon Annand

“Plus the set and the costumes in particular are just beautiful. It is very much in period the way we're doing it, and I get to wear some beautiful dresses.

“I have always been a massive Jane Austen fan. If ever there was an adaptation or a film or whatever I would jump at the chance to see it. I think I've just always loved the humour in Austen’s novels. All of them are so witty and so romantic and so very human, and I think whatever stage you are in life, you will find something in them which is why we are constantly seeing revivals. She had such a sharp understanding of human behaviour and I think this adaptation really captures her wit and her warmth and her psychological insight.”

Touring the show is proving delightful: “The fantastic thing about the tour is that each audience brings a new energy. We can see how universal her humour is but I think the testament to the brilliance of this adaptation is that we're finding that the audiences are laughing in different places in different venues. Actually I think that's really lovely. It feels like every performance is a real conversation with each audience.”

As for Chichester, India has not performed there before: “It has always been a big dream of mine. It's a remarkable theatre and it feels a real privilege to be bringing this adaptation to the Festival Theatre. It is such a joyful work and such a fantastic production to be part of. Chichester audiences really appreciate language and storytelling, and I'm sure that they will love this.”

The cast also features Oscar Batterham, William Chubb, Jade Kennedy, Peter Losasso, Rose Quentin, Daniel Rainford, Ed Sayer and Maiya Louise Thapar, with Jordan Kilshaw, Lukwesa Mwamba, Charlie Norton, Hugh Osborne and Jordan Stamatiadis.