Prolific British novelist, Jane Austen who was born in 1775 and is best remembered by her much-loved comedy romance novels including Pride and Prejudice will be commemorated by the BBC with a new documentary series. The series entitled ‘Jane Austen: Rise Of a Genius’ which marks the 250th anniversary of Austen’s birth follows in the footsteps of previous similar documentaries including ‘Shakespeare: Rise of a Genius’ and ‘Mozart: Rise of a Genius’, and it aims to celebrate “the surprising life of the author whose ground breaking novels have been loved for over two centuries,” explains a press release from the BBC.
Following the acclaimed recent BBC drama Miss Austen – which told the story of her sister Cassandra, and the letters written by Jane – this new three-part series “explores how the author of masterpieces including Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility and Emma ripped up the rulebook and reinvented the novel, allowing her readers into the minds of characters as never before.
“Each episode weaves in cinematic drama vignettes with contributions from authors and writers including Helen Fielding, Candice Carty-Williams, Kate Atkinson, Colm Tóibín and Bee Rowlatt; actors Charity Wakefield, Greta Scacchi, Samuel West, Tamsin Greig, Tom Bennett and Greg Wise, experts and historians Dr Paula Byrne, Admiral Lord West, Dr Priya Atwal, Dr Louise Curran and Dr Paddy Bullard, and film maker Ken Loach.”
Austen died at the age of 41 in 1817, her cause of death is speculated on but unknown. Her lasting legacy, however, cannot be debated, with works that are still read, enjoyed and adapted to this day.
Helen Fielding, Author and Contributor, said: “Jane Austen’s voice is so strong and funny and perceptive. And her work’s still being copied and stolen by people like me.”
Alistair Pegg, Commissioning Editor, BBC Arts, adds: “Jane Austen is timeless, but the 250th anniversary of her birth this year is the perfect moment to reflect on her extraordinary achievement. In Jane Austen: Rise of a Genius, we unpack the surprising story of how she defied the odds in eighteenth-century England, rising from humble beginnings to become one of our most important and best-loved writers.”
Jane Austen: Rise of a Genius is a 72 Films production for BBC Art and is distributed internationally by Fremantle.
Rob Coldstream, Executive Producer, 72 Films said: “72 Films are hugely proud to present this exciting journey into the life and works of one of Britain’s best loved novelists. Austen’s life is often conflated with the lives of her heroines – this series knocks that myth on its head and brings the messy reality of her life into focus. Packed full of ambition, tragedy, hardship, and humour – we’re thrilled to showcase to audiences, the real Jane Austen.”
Further content celebrating Austen’s life has also been announced by the BBC including, special programming on BBC Radio 4 in December with titles including Northanger Abbey, Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. BBC Education are offering a new dedicated assembly pack for schools, with a short film featuring writers and spoken word performers sharing their unique perspectives on the work of Jane Austen, reflecting on the themes in her novels. What’s more, a new ten-part drama The Other Bennet Sister based on the hit novel of the same name by Janice Hadlow has been announced.
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