"Resign yourself, Catherine! Shops must be visited! Money must be spent! Do you think you could bear it?" - Northanger Abbey

Saturday, May 11, 2013

Pride & Predudice - having a ball

I wanted to point my costuming readers to a program called "Pride & Predudice - having a ball" if you haven't already seen it.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/b01sf0q6/

To quote the description:
Documentary celebrating the 200th anniversary of Pride and Prejudice, revealing the hidden world behind one of the greatest love stories of all time by restaging a regency ball at Chawton House, the grand estate of Jane Austen's brother. Amanda Vickery and Alastair Sooke lead a team of world class experts as they reconstruct the ball in loving detail, from music and dancing, to food and fashion.
Jane Austen loved to dance and balls were hugely popular in early 19th century England. Crucially, a ball is also where Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy meet and begin their courtship. However very little is known about what they were actually like. What sort of music would they have danced to? How difficult were the steps? What were the clothes like to wear? And what did the food taste like?
This film uses music from the Austen family archives, as well as dances and dishes mentioned in her novels and letters to recreate the experience of attending an early 19th century country ball - the sort of event that Austen had in mind when she wrote some of the most famous and powerful scenes in English literature.

There's some fabulous outfits and it nice to hear authentic music on authentic instruments. They use real candlelight, which show off how nice the white muslin dresses look in that low light. There's also comments on how energetic the dancing is...having tried a bit of the dancing at the jane austen festival (see video above) I have to agree. Lots of fan fluttering. lol!

1 comment:

  1. WOW! That would be absolutely amazing to attend. Maybe I would meet my own Mr. Darcy there? (though hubby might not like that).

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