BRITISH THEATRE COMPANY ENJOYS SOLD OUT RUN OF JANE AUSTEN’S EMMA BY AMERICAN PLAYWRIGHT PAULA K. PARKER
When the New Era Players, located in Newbury, Berkshire, United Kingdom (about an hour’s drive west of London), decided to perform Emma—Jane Austen’s hugely popular comedy of manners—for its spring show, they may have raised a few eyebrows by selecting a stage adaptation by an American playwright, Paula K. Parker.
“As a director it is always difficult approaching a new venture, especially with a large cast and finding the right people to play the parts,” explains the show’s director, Lisa Harrington. “I always knew I wanted to direct Emma after directing Pride and Prejudice, another of Paula’s adaptations. I did read other adaptations but always came back to hers as it had so much humour.”
