Alert Janeite Joan sent us a link to a radio interview with Dr. Janet Todd, who is general editor of the new Cambridge editions of Jane Austen’s novels and was a keynote speaker at the JASNA AGM in Vancouver last month. The interview was broadcast during the AGM and is now available in the CBC archives. Joan kindly gave us a very detailed rundown of the 15-minute interview, which included Dr. Todd’s thoughts about the AGM, about Jane Austen in popular culture (yay!), editing the Cambridge editions, Jane Austen in her own time, modern film versions of the novels, and quite a bit more! (If any kind Janeite could deliver it to us in a format that is NOT Real Player, we should be very grateful.)

We heard from Lynn Marie Macy, the author and director of Innocent Diversions, currently on stage at Theater Ten Ten in New York.

It is December, 1803. Join Miss Jane Austen and her family & friends, who have arrived at Manydown Park, the Hampshire estate of the Bigg-Wither family, for a Christmas celebration. At the persistent urging of her hosts, Jane has consented to be Mistress of Ceremonies and preside over their Holiday theatricals, which are to highlight her own outrageously funny early writings.

Ms. Macy sent us a photograph of Karen Eterovich in costume as Jane Austen on the set of the play (click on the thumbnail to see a larger version). If Innocent Diversions is as good a play as Ms. Macy’s adaptation of Northanger Abbey, playgoers are in for a treat indeed!

The play runs through December 16, 2007 (Jane Austen’s birthday!). Tickets are $20 and are available online.

Photo credit: LAB Photography.

We’ve had several Alert Janeites write to tell us about Austenfans.com, but unfortunately we have been unable to visit for more than a few moments, as the site does not work on the computer at AustenBlog World Headquarters. The site has been set up by Sourcebooks, which publishes several popular Jane Austen paraliterature titles and other Regency-set novels, and part of the site is dedicated to these books and part to Jane Austen’s novels and film adaptations. Some of the content required registration to view, but they also have the text of Jane’s novels available online, what appears to be an RSS aggregator of Austen-related news, and links to sites of interest and fan forums. We are told that our issues with viewing the site are uncommon, so check it out!

If Region 1 Janeites were hoping for insipid filmed fan fiction under their Festivus pole this year, we are sorry to inform that they are doomed for disappointment. The film will be available on February 12 on DVD and Blu-Ray, so we get a really good, clear view of Anne Hathaway’s lip gloss.

Author Jane Austen (Anne Hathaway) eventually became famous for writing epic novels like Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility, but as a young woman in the 18th century, writing was not a respectible goal for a young woman. With the entire world telling her she can’t achieve her dreams, Jane meets and falls in love with a charming rogue, Tom Lefroy (James McAvoy), who inspires her to write the books generations have come to know and love.

“Inspired her to write the books,” indeed.

*beats stupid description into bytes and pixels with Cluebat of Janeite Righteousness*

But wait! There are Special Features! Oh joy!

Commentary with director Julian Jarrold, writer Kevin Hood and producer Robert Bernstein

…in which they no doubt complain about the Austen Police and Teh Ebil AustenBloggers who don’t understand The Auteur’s Vision!

Deleted scenes

There’s…there’s….there’s MORE of it? DOROTHY! Bring out the TITANIUM SPORK!

Becoming Jane Pop-Up Facts & Footnotes

Because Becoming Jane is just loaded with facts popping up all over the place.

Discovering the Real Jane Austen featurette

Because you sure won’t discover her from the movie! ha ha!

P.S. We should probably point out that if you buy it, expect more of the same from the eejits that make this sort of thing. Don’t complain when the rats keep coming back to the food source.