SENSE AND

SENSIBILITY
BY KATE HAMILL
BASED ON THE NOVEL
BY JANE AUSTEN

DRAMATISTS
PLAY SERVICE
INC.
 SENSE AND SENSIBILITY
Copyright © 2016, Kate Hamill,
based on the novel by Jane Austen

All Rights Reserved

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Dedicated to John Buxton.
We love and miss you, John.
 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

First and foremost, I must thank everyone in the Bedlam family —

especially Eric Tucker and Andrus Nichols. Thanks also to the
wonderful Beth Blickers, Jason O’Connell, Jane Guyer-Fujita, Sarah
Rasmussen, Davis McCallum, Janine Nabers, Jose Rivera, and Jamie
Lewis (who looked over S&S to ensure historical accuracy). Thanks
also to my loved ones for their support — especially my family.

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The world premiere of SENSE AND SENSIBILITY was produced
by Bedlam (Eric Tucker, Artistic Director; Andrus Nichols, Producing
Director) at the Sheen Center in New York City, on November
10th, 2014. It was directed by Eric Tucker. The set design was by John
McDermott; the lighting design was by Les Dickert; the costume
design was by Angela Huff; the sound design was by Eric Tucker
and Katie Young; the assistant director was Aubrey Snowden; the
choreography was by Alexandra Beller; the dramaturg was Emily
Lyon; the dialect coach was Amanda Quaid; the production stage
manager was Katharine Whitney; the assistant stage manager was
Violeta Picayo; and the historical fact-checker was Jamie Lewis.
The cast was as follows (in alphabetical order):

FANNY DASHWOOD/LUCY STEELE/

LADY MIDDLETON/GOSSIP ............................ Laura Baranik
COLONEL BRANDON/THOMAS/
LADY MIDDLETON/GOSSIP ................................ Nigel Gore
MARIANNE DASHWOOD ................................... Kate Hamill
ELINOR DASHWOOD .................................... Andrus Nichols
EDWARD FERRARS/ROBERT FERRARS/
LADY MIDDLETON/GOSSIP ........................ Jason O’Connell
JOHN WILLOUGHBY/
JOHN DASHWOOD/GOSSIP ............................... John Russell
MARGARET DASHWOOD/
MRS. FERRARS/GOSSIP ............................... Vaishnavi Sharma
MRS. DASHWOOD/
ANNE STEELE/GOSSIP ............................ Samantha Steinmetz
MRS. JENNINGS/GOSSIP ...................................... Eric Tucker
JOHN MIDDLETON/DOCTOR/
SERVANT/GOSSIP .......................................... Stephan Wolfert

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 CHARACTERS

ELINOR Dashwood — the eldest Dashwood sister; sensible.

MARIANNE Dashwood — the middle Dashwood sister;
sensitive.
MARGARET Dashwood — the youngest Dashwood sister;
10–13 years old.
MRS. DASHWOOD — mother to the Dashwood sisters.
JOHN Dashwood — half-brother to the Dashwood sisters
(from their father’s side; no blood relation to Mrs. Dashwood).
EDWARD Ferrars — a gentleman; a bachelor.
FANNY (Ferrars) Dashwood — wife to John Dashwood
and sister to Edward; nasty.
COLONEL BRANDON — an older bachelor; over 45 years old.
John WILLOUGHBY — an unusually handsome young man.
SIR JOHN Middleton — a country gentleman; distant
relation to Mrs. Dashwood.
MRS. JENNINGS — a good-natured, boisterous woman;
mother-in-law to Sir John and a terror to the countryside.
LADY MIDDLETON — an over-bred lady.
LUCY Steele — a young girl from no fortune.
ANNE Steele — Lucy’s sister; indiscreet.
ROBERT Ferrars — a callow young man; Edward Ferrars’
younger brother.

Also, to be doubled with the cast:

GOSSIPS 1–5 — a chorus of high-society creatures.
SERVANTS — including Thomas.
DOCTOR

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 PLACE & TIME

England, 1790s.

NOTE

This play may be performed with as little or as much in the way of

set, props, or spectacle as you prefer — in Bedlam’s world premiere,
it was ingeniously staged with a few pieces of simple furniture. I
encourage you to be as creative as you wish; it’s meant to be a bit
of a funhouse! Doubling is also encouraged; the only characters
that absolutely should not be doubled are Elinor and Marianne, as
the “sense” and “sensibility” foci of the piece. The Gossips may be
assigned as needed. Have fun — Jane Austen would approve.

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SENSE AND SENSIBILITY
ACT ONE

The Gossips

The Gossips, a chorus of high-society creatures, enter. They

chatter away happily — in late eighteenth-century England,
gossip (and a reputation created by that gossip) is lifeblood
and social stricture and pastime and national sport and destiny.
Whether or not it is delineated in the script, the Gossips are
often watching or whispering or contributing to the action.
The intent is to create an atmosphere in which someone is
almost always observing and judging. It is oppressive and
constricting, but not necessarily unfriendly; it is all great fun
for the Gossips. The Gossips gather around a table, poised and
ready to burst …

GOSSIP 1. Did I tell you, I saw Lady Fagg and all of her five daughters
last week … (All of the Gossips burst into speech simultaneously, in a
great cacophony of sound, like gulls squabbling over food, talking over
each other. They do not have to get through all of the dialogue.)
GOSSIP 2. GOSSIP 1.
The Miss Dashwoods are … with old Mrs. Hamilton,
highly thought of throughout from Canterbury, and Miss
all the county, I think! Elinor Chapman, from Margate, into
Dashwood is said to possess the bargain. I never saw so plain
a strength of understanding, a family — five sisters so very
and coolness of judgment, and plain! They are as plain as the
yet an affectionate disposition. Foresters, or the Franfraddops,
Marianne Dashwood is a lively or the Seagraves, or the Rivers —

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enough girl, eager in all she excluding Miss Sophy, Miss
does. I should think any young Sally Fagg has some kind of a
man who made a connection figure, and that compromises all
with the Miss Dashwoods the good looks of the family. It
should have little reason to was stupidish; there was a lack
regret it! of talk altogether.
GOSSIP 3. GOSSIP 4.
Dead of a fright, they say — I It would be a fine match on her
suppose he happened to look at side, at least. I never thought
his wife. I do not know what the the Miss Bennets anything
Faggs should have for mourning. exceptional, but they would pass
Perhaps bombazeen and crape, as beauties in this county. Now
according to what is now almost Dorsetshire has true beauties;
universal. I wonder if it is too I met Lady Honeywood there,
recent for the cousins to attend you know. I did not sit near
the gala on Tuesday? There is to enough to be a perfect judge, but
be a concert, with illuminations I thought her extremely pretty,
and fireworks. Even the concert and her manners have all the
will have more than its usual recommendations of ease; and
charm for me, as the gardens are going about with four horses and
large enough for me to get pretty nicely dressed herself, she is al-
well beyond the reach of its sound! together a perfect sort of woman.
GOSSIP 5. Well, we shall see. I find the Bingleys rather plain, but
then there are very few true beautiful girls in the world. I respect
Miss Chamberlayne for doing her hair well, but I cannot feel a more
tender sentiment. Miss Langley is like any other short girl, with a
broad nose and wide mouth, fashionable dress and exposed bosom.
Mrs. Blount is much admired — with her broad face, diamond
bandeau, white shoes, pink husband, and fat neck! (With no great
ceremony, a body is dropped upon the table, as for a funeral. The Gossips
stare at it a moment before speaking, then gather around it.)

The Dashwoods

GOSSIP 1. Poor Mr. Dashwood — carried away so suddenly! Woke

one morning with a fever, and drew his last gasp within the week!
(Overlapping with next line.) Poor Mr. Dashwood!

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GOSSIP 2. Poor Mr. Dashwood! But a very handsome funeral. The
serenity of the corpse was most delightful. (Overlapping with next
line.) Poor Mr. Dashwood!
GOSSIP 3. Poor Mr. Dashwood! And poor Mrs. Dashwood, in
every sense of the word! You know that his widow and daughters
are left with almost nothing! (The Gossips, drawn sharply to this
information, drop all interest in the corpse.)
GOSSIP 4. No!
GOSSIP 1. Not truly?
GOSSIP 4. But Norland Park is such a large estate!
GOSSIP 2. Were there … (In hushed tones.) very many DEBTS in
the family?
GOSSIP 3. No, nothing like that. (Officiously.) It was a question
of the law!
GOSSIP 4. DID SOMEBODY BREAK THE LAW? (The Gossips
all shush him.)
GOSSIP 3. No, no. Mr. Dashwood could not legally bequeath it to
the ladies. (The Gossips are a bit disappointed.) It all went to his son from
the previous marriage, Mr. John Dashwood. (John Dashwood enters.)
JOHN. I think that I will give them a thousand pounds apiece to
start their new life!
GOSSIP 4. But wasn’t he a rich man already?
GOSSIP 3. Oh yes, he married into money. But his rich wife —
(Lowers voice.) not a sympathetic creature! Moved into Norland Park
the DAY AFTER THE FUNERAL, without a word of notice to the
new widow! (Fanny Dashwood enters; all the Gossips “tsk” reprovingly.)
FANNY. My dear John, how can you think of taking four thousand
pounds from the fortune of our dear little boy? What possible
claim can the Miss Dashwoods, who are only related to you by half
blood, have to so large an amount?
JOHN. My father’s last request was that I provide for them, Fanny.
FANNY. Your father did not know what he was talking of, I dare say;
ten to one he was light-headed at the time. Four thousand pounds!
JOHN. He did not specify any particular amount. (Fanny waits.)
Perhaps if the sum were diminished by one-half. Five hundred
pounds apiece would be a great increase to their fortunes!
FANNY. Two thousand pounds! What brother on earth would do
so much for even his REAL sisters!
JOHN. One had rather do too much than too little. Do you think
that they may expect more?

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 SENSE AND SENSIBILITY
adapted by Kate Hamill
based on the novel by Jane Austen
4M, 4W: 17 total (doubling, flexible casting)

A playful new adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved novel follows the fortunes (and
misfortunes) of the Dashwood sisters — sensible Elinor and hypersensitive
Marianne — after their father’s sudden death leaves them financially destitute and
socially vulnerable. Set in gossipy late 18th-century England, with a fresh female
voice, the play is full of humor, emotional depth, and bold theatricality. SENSE
AND SENSIBILITY examines our reactions, both reasonable and ridiculous, to
societal pressures. When reputation is everything, how do you follow your heart?

“ … an unconditional delight … invigorating … a bouncy, jaunty take on Austen …

remains remarkably true to the values and priorities of its source. The classic Austen
preoccupations with real estate, income, class, reputation and equilibrium in life are all
rendered brightly and legibly here.” —The New York Times

“ … so full of galloping comic vitality as to suggest a bunch of stupendously clever kids

playing dress-up in the nursery. It’s by far the smartest Jane Austen adaptation to come
along since Amy Heckerling’s Clueless, and at least as much fun.”
—The Wall Street Journal

“Perhaps the greatest stage adaptation of this novel in history.” —The Huffington Post

“ … inventive, faithful, clever and hilarious. Kate Hamill’s marvelous play is one of the
finest stage adaptations of a literary classic. Our Jane would have expressed her approval.”
—TheaterScene.net

“ … rowdy, exuberant … thoroughly modern yet not at all contemporized. Kate

Hamill’s felicitous adaptation gives us ageless emotions, couched in the mores and
locutions of the past, yet timeless in their arduously suppressed intensity.”
—Time Out (New York)

DRAMATISTS PLAY SERVICE, INC.

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