A smart period drama starring Keeley Hawes, Miss Austen is the perfect antidote to the Sunday scaries
You might expect the BBC drama Miss Austen to be all about the famous Jane. Born 250 years ago this year, her eight novels have inspired homages from Clueless (a riff on Emma) to Bridget Jones’s Diary (Pride & Prejudice). But the Austen taking centre stage here is Cassandra, Jane’s sister, played by Keeley Hawes. For years, Cassandra was considered a villain because she burnt Jane’s letters after her death, depriving historians from knowing as much as they’d like. The new drama, based on a novel by Gill Hornby, imagines Cassandra’s side of the story. ‘I think she was incredibly brave,’ says Hawes. ‘Her devotion to Jane was extraordinary.’ Neither of the sisters married, and they were each other’s closest friends; after Jane’s death, Cassandra described her as ‘the sun of my life’. The show focuses on her attempts to protect their privacy when their sister-in-law Mary insists the letters should be made public. ‘She stands her ground, and she felt very modern to play,’ says Hawes. It’s a moving portrait of sisterhood and explores the strength it must have taken in the 1800s to live a fulfilling life as a single woman. It’s hilarious in parts, with lots of the pompous behaviour Jane portrayed in her novels. Mary is played by Jessica Hynes. ‘It’s very hard to do scenes with Jessica as she’s so funny,’ says Hawes. On the day we meet, in contrast to Cassandra’s drab mourning clothes, Hawes wears a glamorous Dior suit and stilettos. In 35 years on screen, with memorable parts in some of our favourite dramas – Spooks, Line Of Duty, It’s A Sin, Bodyguard – she has proven herself to be versatile. Later this year, she’ll appear as a retired killer in The Assassin but Miss Austen came along when she was in exactly the right mood. ‘There’s an awful lot of television about murder, and there’s a place for that,’ she says. ‘But I was looking for something a bit more wholesome. This is about life and love, it’s meaningful, and it becomes a bit of a thriller.’ Hawes can sympathise with Cassandra’s desire to keep personal things out of the public domain. ‘There’s an expectation that you should reveal as much as everybody would like to know, but there’s a lot to be said for keeping certain things back. I don’t think I’ve ever even done a podcast, because I feel like it’s an hour of therapy and then it’s put on the internet!’ ‘Miss Austen’ is on BBC One and iPlayer
Just so you know, we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website - read why you should trust us
English (US) ·