There’s been no shortage of Jane Austen documentaries and dramas this year, thanks to the BBC’s celebration of 250 years since the prolific author’s birth.
From the period drama Miss Austen, starring Keeley Hawes, to the documentary series, Jane Austen: Rise of a Genius, there have been plenty of excellent shows for Austen fans to get stuck into – and there’s another airing this week that viewers will want to keep an eye out for.
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The 2002 docudrama, The Real Jane Austen, is airing on BBC Four on Wednesday night, delving into the life of the acclaimed 19th-century novelist and the contrast between her modest upbringing and the characters in her books.
What is The Real Jane Austen about?
Presented by actress Anna Chancellor, who is a distant relative of Jane Austen, the drama-documentary explores the life of the prolific author, discovering « the woman behind the acclaimed novels through readings and reconstructions, » according to the synopsis.
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It continues: « Location shots of Austen’s homes in Steventon and Chawton and extracts from adaptations of her work are also featured. »
The series, which is directed by Nicky Pattison, contrasts Jane’s story with the lives of her heroines. While Jane had a modest upbringing as a clergyman’s daughter and never married, her literary creations were often financially comfortable heroines who ultimately found true love.
Who stars in The Real Jane Austen?
The docudrama features an impressive cast led by Gillian Kearney (Casualty, Emmerdale) in the role of Jane Austen.
She’s joined by Downton Abbey‘s Phyllis Logan as Mrs Austen, The Morning Show star Jack Davenport as Henry Austen, Maigret‘s Lucy Cohu as Cassandra Austen, and Trying actor Oliver Chris as Tom Lefroy.
Other cast members include John Standing as Mr Austen, Ben Illis as James Austen, Wendy Craig as Aunt Lefroy, Beth Winslet as Fanny Knight, Patrick Connolly as Harris Bigg, Lara Rebekah Harvey as Young Jane Austen, and Danielle Green as Young Cassandra Austen.
When to watch The Real Jane Austen
The Real Jane Austen airs on BBC Four on Wednesday 26 June at 9pm.
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Other Jane Austen documentaries
There are various Jane Austen documentaries available to stream on BBC iPlayer, including Jane Austen: The History Makers, which was first shown in 1978, 2011’s Jane Austen: The Unseen Portrait?, Lucy Worsley’s 2017 documentary, Jane Austen: Behind Closed Doors, and Jane Austen: Rise of a Genius, which aired in May this year.
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