The Jane Austen Festival 2016

Another festival has ended, and that means the approach of winter - but it seems that summer doesn't want to let go of Europe quite yet.
This year's trip to Bath ended up being more adventure and discovery than festival for me. In company of  few friends, you know who you are ;-)

A visit to Little Combe, Montacute House (third most haunted house in GB), Dorchester, Taunton, Winchester, Lyme and Stourhead Gardens was the order of the days (Wednesday 14th and Friday 16th)
So I got to follow in the footprints of Anne Elliot, Captain Wentworth, Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy at the Temple where Matthew Macfadyen as Darcy screws up his rainy proposal, enough to say I have more than enough pictures!

Though I did attend a few things during the festival. Including John White's Social Grace talk! Amazing man and lecturer, the fan dance workshop was good fun with Martin or Mr. Bennet from the JA center calling the dances and taught us a few dances, it was really good dancing again! I have missed it! It allows you to talk with so many interesting people at both workshops and balls.
The John Mullan, 'Let's talk sense' talk! My goodness, no wonder that man has made Jane Austen and her works into his lives work. He knows her books forwards and backwards! A true joy to listen to! And he was a very pleasant man as well to talk to.

The Pride and Prejudice Musical, my god! It was SO funny! I have never laughed so much, I was literally falling off my chair half the time from laughing at the hysterical show that was the musical. The songs were pretty good too, and the actors were very good - I couldn't believe it when I found out that they are not professional actors! Their playing obviously didn't fall in everybody's taste but for myself I was in stitches of laughter every 5 seconds. And a shocking admission, I really liked Wickham! He was dead charming and dead handsome! First and last time I will admit that! Haha

And of course the Fartingales Ball in the Higher Rooms - The Assembly Rooms. Loads of ladies and gentlemen in wonderful costumes. I met up with people I have known for 3 years now, it was also great catching up with people and meeting new people, dancing and fooling around with friends.

Despite drama, it was a wonderful week! The sun was shinning, also on the mini promenade to finish of the festival on the 18th of this month. For myself my Austen experience did not end until well after midnight, after a wonderful Austenland pool party at a friends house, with drinks, great food and loads of mischief.
I also managed to visit 4 different counties, I did interview Jane Odiwe over tea at the Jane Austen Center Tea Room, I also managed to talk with lovely Cassandra Grafton - she has recently published a co-written book, "The Particular Charm of Miss Jane Austen" which is a WONDERFUL book. I will put up my interviews in separate blogs in the next few days.

All in all a wonderful holiday has ended and another winter season is ahead of us.

If you want to read the whole blog and view pictures at the same time, then visit my other blog; https://interestsofajaneaustengirl.wordpress.com/