Latest news with #SenseandSensibility
Daily Mirror
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
‘I found London's coolest party house with a fascinating past'
Having stayed in hundreds of hotels around the world in my time, it takes a lot for one to leave me truly wowed, but that's exactly what I found when I stepped inside Henry's Townhouse in London. Unassuming from the outside, inside it's beautiful and unique, and with a fascinating story behind. I admit that I hadn't heard of it before visiting, but I certainly won't forget this hidden gem. Back in the 18th Century, the building, 24 Upper Berkeley Street in London's village-like Marylebone area, was the home of acclaimed author Jane Austen's (reportedly favourite) brother Henry, a failed barrister, I'm told, who helped to bring Jane's works to the public after her death in 1817. It's said that Jane visited her brother and his wife Cassandra here often, and was even rumoured to have penned parts of Sense and Sensibility here (fans of the novel might spot references to this townhouse in the pages). Over the years following, the building fell into disrepair, gradually existing as a run-down B&B until local Marylebone-born-and-raised businessman Steven Collins and his wife spotted its potential and snapped it up. Following an extensive restoration project during which the interiors were thoughtfully overhauled – to appear even grander than they actually would in Henry's day, Steven tells me, as the Austen family wasn't wealthy – Henry's Townhouse opened in 2020 with six bedrooms, two reception rooms and a pantry for breakfasts and meetings. Individual rooms can be booked, as you would a traditional hotel (a must for history buffs or literary fans), but where it really shines is as a single-use venue, which, Steven says, has been used for everything from hen parties and small weddings to London boltholes for rock stars and their entourages playing at the Royal Albert Hall (he if of course too discreet to drop names). It appears nothing is too much of an ask to arrange, as I hear stories of magicians lining the stairs and musicians playing in the baths. The former home of Jane Austen's brother and now a gorgeous six-bedroom hotel or exclusive use venue. The six bedrooms at Henry's Townhouse are all named after Jane Austen's relatives, small but perfectly designed, and individually decorated in sumptuous yet stylish designs. I stayed in the Cassandra room, decked out in soothing powder blue tones and with so many special touches, from the shell-shaped bath draped in curtains and the gilded dressing table to the artwork on the walls and the fresh flowers in bud glasses, plus a big desk should inspiration take you. Lying in the comfy bed at the end of the day underneath the huge chandelier, I felt like I was in Bridgerton. All rooms also have a complimentary minibar and posh snacks, as well as modern comforts such as a Dyson hair dryer and Votary toiletries. Due to its small size, Henry's Townhouse doesn't serve dinner, but breakfast in the downstairs pantry is included in your stay. You're spoilt for choice for dining out in the local area around Marylebone's charming high street though, and the staff are more than happy to help with recommendations and bookings. Rooms at Henry's Townhouse start from £595 including breakfast, and the property costs from £4,950 per night for exclusive use for up to 12 guests.
San Francisco Chronicle
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Review: Latest Jane Austen rom-com finds the sexy in brushing cheekbones
'Sense and Sensibility,' 'Persuasion' and 'Pride and Prejudice' gave Agathe impossible romantic standards. 'I'm not living in the right century,' the Parisian bookseller sighs to her coworker and best friend Félix, grousing about dating app swiping and casual hookups. But in 'Jane Austen Wrecked My Life,' which opens in Bay Area theaters Thursday, May 22, the Regency-era novelist can't take all the blame for Agathe's 2 a.m. cold pasta binges, the writer's block she's suffering as an aspiring author of her own romantic novels, her two years of celibacy or her refusal to travel following a tragic car accident. No, all that rests squarely on Agathe's own shoulders — which sets her up perfectly to become the heroine of a romantic comedy. Since Jane Austen is in the title of Laura Piani's film, and since Agathe (Camille Rutherford) gets hornswoggled into ferrying across the English Channel to attend a Jane Austen writer's retreat on an historic Austen family estate, Austenites can predict certain plot points will come to pass. Agathe will have two suitors. One of them will follow an enemies-to-lovers arc. That enemy will interrupt a solitary tromp through thick forests. Intellectual debate shall whet desire, and there will be a ball with empire-waist dresses where everything hinges on a single, smoldering dance. The formula persists two centuries after Austen perfected it because it's aspirational and satisfying at the same time: We want it to wreck our own lives, too. It's durable precisely because it's pliable, offering storytellers a template in which to explore their own era's mores and ideals, questions and anxieties. The world is always impatient to pair off young single people, and whether the thing keeping them apart is a patrimonial system entailing an estate away from female heirs or ambiguities around friends-with-benefits, rom-coms a la Austen goad us while soothing us, scratching that itch and making us laugh at ourselves for having it. In devising a fresh variation on the theme, Piani makes her protagonist nothing less than an employee of Paris' world-famous bookshop Shakespeare and Company who bikes to work with a leather satchel, wearing a plaid-lined parka and updo — all of which would seem to prime her and Félix (Pablo Pauly) to be snooty French people. Then again, Agathe is also kind of a loser. She gets made fun of by her 6-year-old nephew for never having any boyfriends and both perpetrates, and is victimized by, spewed bodily fluids. She complains ad nauseum about writer's block and concocts sexual fantasies about inanimate objects while dining out alone. The result, with Agathe neither towering wit nor dumpster fire nor book snob, is a refreshingly light touch and a heroine unexaggerated by what Hollywood always thinks we want. As she stumbles into food messes, piles of novels, sexts, spontaneous overshares and Regency waltzes, Rutherford gives her an agreeable air of quiet perturbation and wry self-awareness. She's the kind of person who fixes a cringey divulgence by saying just the right thing or letting a stony expression melt. In Austen, one suitor always turns out to be really, really the wrong guy. In Piani's take, you root both for Félix, whose play-wrestling with his best friend is followed by the most delicate pause of longing, and for Oliver (Charlie Anson), a scowly lit professor dragooned into helping his parents manage the Austen residency. Agathe could probably choose either and have a decent life, which feels right for our own time when one-and-only, happily-ever-after narratives almost never ring true. And crucially, whereas in other films lovers need only look at each other to be penetrating by the next shot, Piani knows that withholding is way sexier. Cheekbones get close enough to almost skirt each other, and the whole world seems to thrum. When you dance with someone, you can stare unabashedly into their eyes for long stretches. You can finally try to make out what their intentions are. You can state, with your eyes, your lust, and your partner's eyes can say back, 'I feel it, too, but I'm afraid.'
The Hindu
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Kandukondain Kandukondain: a Tamil box-office hit rooted in Jane Austen novel
To dive into an English literary classic and flesh out a story with a Tamil heart is never easy. Rajiv Menon precisely did that through his Kandukondain Kandukondain, which rested its spine on Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility. Taking a novel from 1811 and using its plot as the basic skeleton, Menon wove a splendid celluloid tale, which turned 25 on May 5. A re-release too is on the cards, while one of its key stars Ajith Kumar is nursing the afterglow of his latest box-office hit Good Bad Ugly. When Kandukondain Kandukondain was released in the summer of 2000, a few weeks after Menon's friend Mani Ratnam's Alaipayutheyhit the screens, there was a creative high in Kollywood. The two classy films, with their common thread of A.R. Rahman's music, raked in the money, besides being critically acclaimed. Searching for a foothold If Alaipayuthey was the quintessential Madras film, Kandukondain Kandukondain used Chettinad as its base before shifting base to Chennai. Menon revealed Chettiar mansions of a layered vintage and equally grappling with intrigue. Within this crucible, he placed women and men searching for a foothold, yearning for that ideal romance, slipping a bit while still nursing hopes. Menon wielded a massive star-cast, but made the characters relatable. Mammootty, Ajith, Tabu, Aishwarya Rai, and Abbas were part of the mix and even the supporting roles had a proper arc. This wasn't a film entirely about love, it was also a quest to raise difficult questions like the role of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka. At one point, Mammootty, all gravitas and depth, speaks about how being forgotten is the worst curse in life. As an ex-serviceman with a brooding memory, the Malayalam legend was excellent. Menon, with some dry wit, even held a mirror to his own film industry, while Ajith chased his creative dreams. This was also about Ajith being vulnerable in a lovely role; and with the film being released in Mumbai with English subtitles, the actor broadened his fan base. Chartbuster songs The enigmatic Tabu was brilliant as ever, and her internalisation of bad luck and superstition, before shedding those blinkers, was a high point. Aishwarya held her own within this galaxy of stars and the songs were all chartbusters. Kandukondain Kandukondain ran well in Chennai, in the rest of Tamil Nadu, and across India. Menon made Austen's theme centred around love accessible to all. There was a sensitivity to the film, a gentle tugging of the heart, that left viewers asking for more, just like how it was with his debut directorial flick Minsara Kanavu, which later became Sapney in Hindi.
The Hindu
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
A box-office hit that was rooted in a novel of Jane Austen
To dive into an English literary classic and flesh out a story with a Tamil heart is never easy. Rajiv Menon precisely did that through his Kandukondain Kandukondain, which rested its spine on Jane Austen's Sense and Sensibility. Taking a novel from 1811 and using its plot as the basic skeleton, Menon wove a splendid celluloid tale, which turned 25 on May 5. A re-release too is on the cards, while one of its key stars Ajith Kumar is nursing the afterglow of his latest box-office hit Good Bad Ugly. When Kandukondain Kandukondain was released in the summer of 2000, a few weeks after Menon's friend Mani Ratnam's Alaipayuthey hit the screens, there was a creative high in Kollywood. The two classy films, with their common thread of A.R. Rahman's music, raked in the money, besides being critically acclaimed. Searching for a foothold If Alaipayuthey was the quintessential Madras film, Kandukondain Kandukondain used Chettinad as its base before shifting base to Chennai. Menon revealed Chettiar mansions of a layered vintage and equally grappling with intrigue. Within this crucible, he placed women and men searching for a foothold, yearning for that ideal romance, slipping a bit while still nursing hopes. Menon wielded a massive star-cast, but made the characters relatable. Mammootty, Ajith, Tabu, Aishwarya Rai, and Abbas were part of the mix and even the supporting roles had a proper arc. This wasn't a film entirely about love, it was also a quest to raise difficult questions like the role of the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka. At one point, Mammootty, all gravitas and depth, speaks about how being forgotten is the worst curse in life. As an ex-serviceman with a brooding memory, the Malayalam legend was excellent. Menon, with some dry wit, even held a mirror to his own film industry, while Ajith chased his creative dreams. This was also about Ajith being vulnerable in a lovely role; and with the film being released in Mumbai with English subtitles, the actor broadened his fan base. Chartbuster songs The enigmatic Tabu was brilliant as ever, and her internalisation of bad luck and superstition, before shedding those blinkers, was a high point. Aishwarya held her own within this galaxy of stars and the songs were all chartbusters. Kandukondain Kandukondain ran well in Chennai, in the rest of Tamil Nadu, and across India. Menon made Austen's theme centred around love accessible to all. There was a sensitivity to the film, a gentle tugging of the heart, that left viewers asking for more, just like how it was with his debut directorial flick Minsara Kanavu, which later became Sapney in Hindi.
Borneo Post
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Borneo Post
A room, a voice, a legacy: How British women writers shaped the world
This photo taken on April 18, 2025 shows the exhibits at Jane Austen's House in Chawton, Hampshire, Britain. As her final home, English female novelist Jane Austen lived in this cottage in Chawton for the last eight years of her life. Here she wrote, revised and published all six of her globally beloved novels: Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion. (Xinhua/Li Ying) LONDON (May 7): From Jane Austen to Mary Shelley, and from Agatha Christie to J.K. Rowling, some of the world's most celebrated women writers hail from Britain. For centuries, they have penned stories that changed not only what people read but also how they understand and interpret the world. WRITING FROM A CORNER In the tranquil village of Chawton, Hampshire, stands a centuries-old red-brick house. In one corner of its dining room sits a modest 12-sided table, its edge worn from years of repeated use. It was on this unassuming table that Jane Austen is believed to have revised and completed all six of her enduring novels over 200 years ago, including 'Sense and Sensibility' and 'Pride and Prejudice.' Lizzie Dunford, director of Jane Austen's House, described the table as 'the base of a whirlwind' that spirals out to the world with 'incredible influence.' Virginia Woolf once wrote that 'a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.' But in Austen's time, the obstacles facing women writers were far more complex. The first edition of 'Sense and Sensibility' was published anonymously, credited only to 'A Lady;' the Bronte sisters wrote under male pseudonyms, and Mary Ann Evans became widely known as George Eliot. 'We did not like to declare ourselves women,' Charlotte Bronte wrote in an 1850 biographical notice. 'Because we had a vague impression that authoresses are liable to be looked on with prejudice.' At the time, universities and libraries were often inaccessible to women, compelling many to educate themselves independently. Yet from these confined spaces, British women writers carved out vast imaginative landscapes and secured their lasting place in literary history. A sign is seen in front of Jane Austen's House in Chawton, Hampshire, Britain, April 18, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Ying) SEEING THROUGH HER EYES Across the diverse themes explored by British women writers – from the countryside tales of Peter Rabbit to the magical world of Hogwarts – one element often unites their work: a distinctly female perspective. In Jane Austen's novels, the world is seen through the eyes of her charming and brilliant heroines – women who are sharp, witty, and 'unashamed of their intellect, abilities, and judgment.' 'It was revolutionary in her time, and it remains revolutionary today, to have such women at the heart of these novels – women who don't take any nonsense and expect equality of opportunity, even when it isn't always possible,' Dunford said. She noted that in a 'precarious and difficult time' for women, it was remarkable that Austen not only became a published author but also gave her heroines the kinds of endings that real women of her time rarely enjoyed. And Austen was not alone. Agatha Christie, the Queen of Crime, introduced a new kind of detective. With Miss Marple, she demonstrated that keen observation and emotional intelligence could be just as powerful as sharp logic. Rather than casting women as narrative frills or confining them to narrow stereotypes, these authors created figures who were independent, resilient, warm, complex – and above all, authentic. Their literary legacy continues to shape the voice of British women's literature across generations. Chinese-American novelist Yan Geling autographs a copy of her new fiction during a book signing event in Beijing, capital of China, July 1, 2012. (Xinhua/Wu Guocai) SHAPING THE FUTURE According to James Daunt, managing director of the iconic British bookstore chain Waterstones, books – especially translated works – can be 'a major propulsion of social change,' broadening cultural horizons, presenting diverse perspectives, and fostering greater understanding across society. British women writers have played a key role in this transformation. They have explored themes of love, power, class, equality, justice, dignity, and more. And the influence of women's voices extends far beyond Britain. 'Throughout history and across the globe, there have been women who have raised their voices to make change and champion their experiences,' said Dunford, expressing a desire to learn more about women 'doing extraordinary things around the world.' In China, the poet Li Qingzhao left behind breathtaking verses nearly a thousand years ago. In the 20th century, Eileen Chang portrayed ordinary lives amid war and social upheaval. More recently, Yan Geling's novels have been adapted into internationally acclaimed films. As the world celebrates women writers on World Book Day, which falls on Wednesday this year, the inspiration sparked by women's literature continues to grow. While acknowledging progress, Daunt cautions against overstating how equal society has become, noting that dedicated shelf categories and literary prizes for women remain necessary. Back at that small table in Chawton, Dunford reflects that if Jane Austen could write timeless novels from the corner of a dining room, it offers a quiet encouragement: extraordinary stories can begin in the most ordinary places. – Xinhua britain literature women's rights writing
