Shakespeare festivals have long embraced The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged, a breakneck sprint through the Bard’s canon that relies on a tiny cast playing dozens of roles. Its appeal is obvious: it aligns with festival missions, offers an accessible comic entry point for newcomers, and is inexpensive to produce.
The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival extends this tradition with THE COMPLETE WORKS OF JANE AUSTEN, ABRIDGED. Written by Jessica Bedford, Kathryn MacMillan, Charlotte Northeast, and Meghan Winch, the piece joins a growing wave of Austen spoof and homage theatre, from Jane Austen in 48 Minutes to Lauren Gunderson’s Pemberley sequels.
THE COMPLETE WORKS touches on most of Austen’s major novels—layered with pop culture nods, feminist commentary, and frequent fourth wall breaks—but its heavy emphasis on the most famous titles leaves the lesser known works underserved. For dedicated “Janeites” – who were out in full force at the performance observed – this seems fine. But for the perhaps less initiated, this feels like a missed opportunity; the best parodies spark curiosity about the originals.
Gabby S. Trice’s set and props transform the intimate ¾ round space into a whimsical swirl of Regency era lunacy, complete with pastel colored furniture pieces set against a green wall of doors and bookshelves. Janus Stefanowicz’s costumes, however, while largely true to the period, often appear ill fitted and not especially flattering on the actors, softening the impact of the Regency aesthetic the production aims to evoke.
Directed by co-playwright Bedford, the trio of actors —Madeleine Garcia, Sarah Gilko, and David Pica—prove nimble, charming, and impressively versatile in portraying multiple characters with the hop of a hat or the shift of a shawl. The staging, however, isn’t always as precise. In such a tight venue, actor placement and inconsistent projection occasionally muddy the text and challenge audibility —an issue in a show driven almost entirely by rapid fire language.
The production also falls into a familiar trap: the gimmick loses steam. Eventually, the comedic ideas stop building while the increasingly frenetic pace makes the storytelling hard to follow unless you’re already steeped in Austen. What begins as witty gradually turns forced and repetitive leading to a sense of fatigue rather than escalating fun.
Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival
Review submitted by:
Franklin Joseph
Author’s Bio:
Franklin Joseph is an avid theatre goer who takes delight in the active theatre arts community of the southeast Pennsylvania region.
