Still no air date for the second part of Sense and Sensibility that we could find on the Beeb’s website, but the publicity machines have ground into motion nonetheless. The synopsis for the second episode is up for our sporking pleasure:

Colonel Brandon is called away on urgent business and Marianne and Brandon’s rival, Willoughby, are left to fall blissfully in love, as Andrew Davies’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic 19th-century novel continues.

Eleanor finally receives her visit from Edward, but his behaviour is so odd and distant that she is far from reassured. Sir John’s nieces, the Misses Steeles, come to Devonshire and Eleanor receives the shock of her life when Lucy Steeles confides in her that she is secretly engaged to Edward. Eleanor is heartbroken, but she’s true to her word and keeps Lucy’s secret, even from her sister, Marianne.

Marianne receives a horrible shock of her own when Willoughby suddenly takes off for London, declaring that he’s unlikely to ever return. The girls, however, are invited to London themselves to stay with Sir John’s mother-in-law, Mrs Jennings. Marianne sets off for London full of hope of being reunited with Willoughby. Little does she know how much Willoughby’s plans have changed since his happy days with her in Devonshire…

Not really much TO spork there, except the “Sir John’s nieces” bit–as Cinthia pointed out, they are really related to Mrs. Jennings, not Sir John, but that’s probably one of those necessary movie adaptation contractions. The only thing that troubles us is that it’s hard to tell how much of the London visit is shown–hopefully all of it, or the ending might be rather rushed. It’s nice to know we will see both the Miss Steeles, and it looks like Lucy will be played by Anna Madeley, who portrayed Mrs. Beeton in the recent biopic, in which JJ Feild took off his shirt several times. (Sylvia M. sent us a link to a Google Images search, too, though unfortunately not of JJ with his shirt off.)

Radio Times has some behind-the-scenes photos from the filming that show the costumes and locations (all look pretty good so far) and fun photos of the cast in costume with plastic rain hats, modern sunglasses, and digital cameras.

The Liverpool Daily Post has an article about Scouser David Morrissey, who plays Colonel Brandon. (And yes, we were rather amused by the title of the article. Cry ‘God for England, Brandon, and St. Jane!’)

While Elinor becomes attached to the highly eligible Edward Ferrars, Marianne is wooed by both war hero Colonel Brandon and the young and glamorous Willoughby.

War hero? Ah, those Andrew Davies Sprinklies!

“Davies is very respectful of Austen because he’s done such great adaptations in the past,” says the actor

All righty then!

“I think it’s great,” he says. “What Andrew does brilliantly is to dramatise what has been reported in the novel. I think that’s really important, and it gives a richness to the adaptation.

“It’s a full adaptation of the novel,” he adds. “Even though I am a great fan of the film, I thought that it concentrated on the two girls and that it was a wonderful piece of work, but I think the TV adaptation is able to concentrate on the whole breadth of characters in the book.”

One of these things is not like the other…

Morrissey is full of praise for his Sense and Sensibility co-stars, particularly Hattie Morahan, who plays Elinor Dashwood.

“It’s a great performance – I think she’s a fantastic actress,” he says. “When I was working with her, I thought how wonderful she was in the story.

Good to hear!

“I thought her interpretation of the mother was really excellent. She made her a real person with real concerns. She wasn’t a sort of flighty person, she was absolutely a grounded woman and I loved her performance – I thought she was great.”

But but but…Mrs. Dashwood *is* kind of flighty. Elinor has to rein her in most of the time. (But we like Janet McTeer, too.)

But, for now, it’s back to life in the 19th century – not that Morrissey thinks it is a time he would be desperate to live in.

“There is only one word that would dispel anyone’s desire to live in that century,” he laughs, “and that’s dentistry! I think that’s what would make me go: ‘Actually, no, I don’t fancy it, really! I’m quite happy where I am, thank you!’”

One word: laudanum.

Thanks to Alert Janeites Cinthia, Lisa, and Sylvia M. for sending us these links!