Press Release

Marine Theatre’s Jane Austen Weekend in Lyme Regis

Fred Humphrey leads the tour of Jane Austen’s Lyme Regis

“There was too much wind to make the high part of the new Cobb pleasant for the ladies,  .. Louisa, to show her enjoyment, ran up the steps to be jumped down again. …; she was too precipitate by half a second, she fell on the pavement on the Lower Cobb, and was taken up lifeless!” …The horror of the moment to all who stood around!”

This is how Jane Austen tells of the dangers of the new steps, built in 1796, on the extension to the Cobb. Fred Humphrey, in the character of Admiral Croft, brought these words vividly to life as he read the whole section from Jane Austen’s Persuasion during his enthralling tour of Jane Austen’s Lyme Regis. He had discovered an enormous wealth of information from many different sources such as the Lyme Regis museum and Diana Shervington, and brought Jane’s life in Lyme vividly to life.

Fred Humphrey and Margie Barbour as Admiral and Mrs Bennett on the Cobb

Over 30 people joined him for this last part of the weekend, including Margie Barbour who was managing the weekend for the Marine Theatre in the character of Mrs Bennett from “Pride and Prejudice.” She had devised the weekend  for the Marine Theatre to the delight of all Janites, both local and those who travelled from as far afield as Suffolk. The Suffolk visitors couldn’t speak highly enough of their visit and emphasised how helpful the Tourist Information Centre had been, “most particularly a lady called “Jill.” She couldn’t have taken more trouble to make sure we knew everything there was to do in Lyme, and we couldn’t believe how much there was.”.

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Mel and Frieda Kemish from Bournemouth found it all excellent but were most especially enthusiastic about Ann Hinchcliffe as the Dance Mistress on Saturday night. “She taught us a new dance  and tune discovered in the Austen archive, composed by JA herself.” “It's simple enough for beginners to do, and everyone at the soiree will now be able to go home having taken part in a world "first": a dance by Jane Austen that hasn't been performed for about 200 years.” Explained Ann Hinchcliffe at the “Evening of Dance and Delights in the Assembly Rooms”

Diana Shervington’s lively talk about “Why didn’t Jane Austen marry” was full of new nuggets of Jane’s younger years and Diana as always held her audience wrapt. She reminded the listeners of passages in Jane’s letters to her niece Fanny of the risks in falling for the first man who comes along, a theme that had been explored in “Miss Austen Regrets” the BBC drama, and the audience were fascinated to discover the source of this television drama’s story.

The Playford dancing and Dorset Corset performances were enjoyed by everyone at both the afternoon workshop and the evening dance, and the Marine Theatre hopes to make these Jane Austen weekends a regular bi-annual event, in collaboration with the Lyme Museum and the Lyme Regis Film Society.

Visitors to the “Assembly Rooms evening of Dance and Delights” on Saturday night