Last night I attended the press night of Jane Austen’s 'Persuasion' at the Royal Exchange Theatre. Jeff James’s adaptation was remarkable and deliciously modern! The themes of courtship and romance were portrayed in a contemporary fashion, the actors wore jeans and trainers and the energy of the play was highly charged; engaging the diverse audience through every minute of the performance.

Notable highlights were the foam scene by the sea and the funky groovy parties blasting hip hop and soul tunes – Austen herself would have loved it!