Austen’s
Entertaining Letters
Jane Austen’s letters are at the heart of the 2005 AGM. On Friday
morning a calligraphy expert will be on hand to teach members how to
write with a quill pen, while Wisconsin volunteers demonstrate how
Austen folded her letters. No need to bring your own quill; trimmed
goose feathers will be provided.
Regency Room and Fashion Show
Inspired by dresses and hats in Austen’s letters, we are assembling a
unique Regency Room featuring a collection of fashion dolls in Regency
dress. The miniature ladies and gentlemen, with hand- painted porcelain
faces, are reminiscent of 18th- century fashion poupees, which
introduced the latest Paris mode to women in England. The dolls and
full-size fashion recreations are the work of Theresa French, a
Wisconsin historic costumer. A faithful replica of the Austens’ quilt,
made by members of the Greater Chicago Region, will also be on
view. Theresa French will entertain at a noon fashion show on
Saturday, as she dresses a model from the chemise up in an elegant,
hooped gown of the early Georgian era. Familiar JASNA faces will take
to the runway to model Regency fashions, while the audience relaxes
with pre- ordered box lunches. (Place your order on the registration
form.) Feel free to wear your own Regency finery at any time during the
AGM weekend.
|
Your
silence on the subject of our Ball makes me suppose your Curiosity too
great for words. We were very well entertained, & could have staid
longer.
—Letter from Southampton,
January 24, 1809
|
Saturday Night
Gala Events
Saturday
evening will find you toasting Jane Austen at the banquet with
complimentary champagne. After dinner, members in Regency dress are
invited to participate in the costume parade. AGM speakers will
autograph their books during the Authors’ Assembly. When the musicians
have finished tuning, Maureen Ryan, our caller for the Regency Ball,
will announce the first dance. Those seeking quieter fare may attend an
illustrated lecture by JASNA favorites Victoria Hinshaw and William
Phillips: “‘Expect to be very much amused’: Art and Theatre in Jane
Austen’s Letters.” The Whist Room will entertain card players until
midnight.
Companion Tickets
A limited number of tickets will be sold for companions of paid
registrants. The ticket includes Friday night entertainment, Saturday
continental breakfast, Saturday banquet and Regency Ball, and Sunday
brunch. It does not cover lectures or other events. Companion tickets
(one per member) must be
preordered on the registration form.
Austen Books and Regency Fair
During
free moments at the hotel, members may shop in the bookstore and
Regency Fair. The AGM once again welcomes Patricia Latkin’s Jane Austen
Books. Travellers’ Tales Books, owned by Jill Hill, will tempt
bibliophiles with rare books and period prints, while Juvenilia Press
offers Austen’s youthful compositions. Visit the Regency Fair for
merchandise you won’t find elsewhere, created and sold by JASNA
regions. Your keepsake AGM tote bag will include a copy of Lady Susan, Austen’s early
epistolary novel, in a new scholarly edition commissioned for the 2005
conference from Juvenilia Press. Meet the editors, Christine Alexander
and David Owen, at the Lady Susan
book launch on Thursday night.
|
