So now we get Sanditon, a lesser known, unfinished novel by Jane Austen and there's plenty of reasons for it being now well known. It was too Pride and Prejudice, too Vanity Fair and Sense and Sensibility. Of course I could continue with more allusions to books and their premise, but I fear no one will be interested. Oh and they still haven't managed to lower the music in favour of drowning out the voices yet!! Seems it was all very timely for Charlotte Heyworth (Rose Williams) to have prevented the carriage from suffering a more fatefully serious accident, and then gets to 'freeload' off the party in Tom Parker (Kris Marshall) and his wife, Mary (Kate Ashfield.) He was looking for a doctor for the seaside resort of Sanditon. The bathing you know.
Once again we get the widowed aunt, Lady Denham (Anne Reid) who has all the riches and no children, concerned her family should marry into money and everyone swooping in waiting for her to die so they get their grotty paws on her fortune. As she says to Charlotte, "surely you're here to find a husband." Cue her ward, Clara (Lucy Sacofsky) who seems meek and shy. Don't be fooled by her. As we later see her with Edward in the grounds of the Denham estate. Wanting her secret to be kept and saying she was forced into 'it' - her predicament - by him.
Charlotte becoming a part of the household as Tom has robust and grand plans to put Sanditon on the map, I keep calling it Sandition!! Thus enlisting his brother, Sidney (Theo James) who seems to be the black sheep of the family, to find rich business associates with connections. One in particular knowing the Prince Regent. He sets off on a rocky meeting with Charlotte at the ball and is 'lumbered' with having to dance with her, though his expression showed he was loathed to do so. He being linked to Miss Lambe (Crystal Clarke) of Antigua, a sugar heiress who apparently has been associated with a scandal. Seems he was associated with her, but whether or not this was scandalous remains to be seen; as she wants no part of him.
Then there was Tom's younger brother, a portly, Arthur (Turlough Convery) who hates the cold weather and is always under the weather, along with their sister, Diana (Alexandra Roach) they were the Collins's of Pride and Prejudice, at least their characters were, not that they were husband and wife. Then the relationship between Edward Denham (Jack Fox) and his sister Ester (Charlotte Spencer) which was positively incestuous, it seems, well not positively in that sense of the word.
Charlotte gets into a pickle when she tells Sidney she likes to look at people and then decide on their character which she finds difficult to do here as everyone mingles so freely. As she describes his family and Tom, Sidney feels repulsed at her for not having any experience and yet speaking her mind so freely. Experience of the world or anything. That's the Pride and Prejudice convo between Lizzy and Darcy when they later talk of his pride and her prejudice.
Throw in some bathing in the sea and naked bums of the men; a ball, dubious characters, money and ITV feels they were on course to a ratings winner. Not to mention more racy scenes, of which most people have complained of already. I prefer the other books in comparison to this one, I admit. However this was only partly written before Jane's death in 1817.
No comments:
Post a Comment