Review by Heather L

I approached this play as a fan of Northanger Abbey and an observer of its dramatic adaptations. When considering various radio, film, or stage productions, I ask the following: How does this adaptation approach the original text (faithfully, or does it offer a different interpretation)? Does it encourage a first-time viewer to read the novel? Will it enhance the enjoyment of those who are already familiar with its source?

I’m happy to report that Northanger Abbey: A Romantic Gothic Comedy, dramatized by Lynn Marie Macy and directed by David Scott, provides a faithful yet innovative interpretation which can be enjoyed by all viewers. Their attention was well spent on a close reading of both Northanger Abbey and The Mysteries of Udolpho, careful depiction of the characters, and witty interpretation of Jane Austen’s original dialogue. While very few scenes from Northanger Abbey have been left out, so many favorites have remained that the inevitable omissions are forgivable. New scenes honor the spirit of the novel; for example, the charming conclusion brings to mind that “to begin perfect happiness at the respective ages of twenty-six and eighteen is to do pretty well.”

Because the narrator of Northanger Abbey establishes Catherine and her adventures as a parody of Gothic novels, all Northanger Abbey adapters face the challenge of incorporating Gothic elements and themes into an Austenian comedy of manners. In this play, several brief scenes from Udolpho are interspersed with Northanger Abbey’s plot, so by the end the viewer has been exposed to an abbreviated version of Udolpho – two plays for the price of one. As seen in a few other stage plays, this cast features several double roles: Catherine sees herself as Udolpho’s heroine, Emily St. Aubert; her real-life love interest, Henry Tilney, appears as Valancourt; the mysterious General Tilney becomes the villainous Montoni, and so on.

The combination of Udolpho with the main story worked very well. The episodes were enjoyable and the cast seemed to have fun with them too. Even though the play was packed with information, the time flew by, thanks in part to the bursts of over-the-top action and comedy provided by Udolpho. The Gothic elements never overshadowed the main story, but rather enhanced it, especially through its use of double roles. The success of this play proves that if an adapter decides to include Gothic fantasies or daydreams, it’s best to use those Jane Austen intended. Unlike the often discordant or inappropriate imagery employed by some other adaptations, it shouldn’t be surprising that Udolpho scenes integrate smoothly with Northanger Abbey.

Theater Ten Ten’s set (designed by Joseph Egan) consisted of larger-than-life spines of books ringing the stage like a bookshelf, with an additional book or two on the side serving for a platform as needed. Best of all, all the book titles are mentioned in Northanger Abbey – and not only the Gothic novels, but other popular works such as Camilla and Tom Jones – just the sort of detail to delight a close reader of the original. Center stage featured a book with pages to be turned by the cast as needed, each page describing a setting (Fullerton, the Pump Room, the Abbey, Udolpho, and so on).

Moving on to the cast, I can’t gush enough over Tatiana Gomberg’s performance as an energetic, endearing, and overall outstanding Catherine. She was on stage for almost the entire two-and-a-half-hour performance, both addressing the audience and interacting with the other characters, and set an exhilarating pace and tone for the entire production. The audience couldn’t help but be drawn into her enthusiasm. While her Catherine was different from how she is depicted in other adaptations, there’s plenty of support in the original novel for a lively, spirited Catherine. It was a pleasure to discover such a fresh, positive approach to a beloved character and then see her so skillfully and charmingly portrayed.

Equal praise is due to Julian Stetkevych for his delightful performance as Henry (and Valancourt). Henry Tilney is frequently misunderstood in both literary criticism and adaptations; thankfully, not only did the play itself expertly capture Henry’s character, but Stetkevych was the figure of fun Jane Austen intended her wittiest, most playful hero to be. He used a pair of motifs to great effect, creating a running joke as Valancourt and infusing Henry’s courtesy with meaning. Then, working as a team, Gomberg and Stetkevych brought Jane Austen’s “ballet of glances” to life with subtle chemistry that was a joy to watch.

Timothy McDonough and Summer Hagen were funny and enjoyable as John and Isabella Thorpe, deftly handling roles which could have easily been overdone. Sarah Tillson as Eleanor was perfectly elegant with a hint of wit or sadness as needed. Devin Delliquanti (James Morland/Ludovico) and David Fuller (General Tilney/Montoni) very capably supported the leads with the right amount of energy and comedy. The maids (Sheila Joon and Megan Loomis) were entertaining and useful additions to this adaptation. Esther David as Mrs. Allen played an unexpected and very funny role in the most memorable Udolpho duelling scene, and credit must be paid to the choreography and fight direction by Judith Jarosz and Ricki Ravitts. Greg Oliver Bodine, Tim Morton, and Lisa Riegel rounded out the outstanding cast, filling several roles in both worlds of Northanger Abbey and Udolpho.

Northanger Abbey: A Romantic Gothic Comedy is a thoughtful, detailed, and lively interpretation of its two source novels and the Theater Ten Ten cast delivered a fresh, energetic performance. It entertains the seasoned fan and welcomes new readers of Jane Austen and Ann Radcliffe. I highly recommend it.

Heather L’s site Solitary Elegance has reviews of darn near every NA adaptation there is.