JAFA 2012 programme of events

Jane Austen Festival Australia Draft Program

12-15 April 2012

http://www.janeaustenfestival.com.au

Special Offer: JAFA Season Ticket + 3-day English Dance Week 10-15 April 2012 (Save $65) jafa2012.eventbrite.com

EVENING & MAIN EVENTS

Thursday 13 April

Jane Austen Opening Film Night

Join us for the official opening at the National Film & Sound Archives, followed by a special film screening in the theatre to put you in the mood.

Friday 13 April

Jane Austen Festival Variety Night

An evening of various pleasures! From improvised dramatic performances, to singing, display dances, musical numbers and scripted performances – all with a Regency flavour! A regency soiree with a 21st century twist. Light supper with regency desserts, tea and coffee provided at interval. Book a table and bring your own dinner baskets, crockery & bottles of chilled wine. We will supply tables, table cloths and candelabras. Doors open at 6.30pm so you can set up your table before the evening begins.

Saturday 14 April

Jane Austen Festival Market Day & Archery Tournament

The lawns of St Johns come alive with archery, hot food, period games, stalls and even Maypole Dancing!

Saturday 14 April

Jane Austen Festival Ball

Relive the romance and frivolity of Regency times with a grand ball complete with candlelight, games room, regency supper and traditional music. Ball attendees must attend the early morning dance workshops on Friday and/or Saturday mornings from 9am - 10.30am.

Sunday 15 April

Jane Austen Festival Promenade

Promenade arm in arm along the shores of Lake Burley Griffin in your best Regency era finery.  Remember to bring a parasol, top hat or bonnet for a day of genteel enjoyment. 9.30am-12.30pm. Meet at the chesspit in Commonwealth Park.

WORKSHOPS AND TALKS

(LISTED UNDER EACH PRESENTER)

Dr John Gardiner-Garden

John is a dance teacher, researcher, choreographer and musician with over 20 years experience  teaching, leading and playing for Regency (and other) era dancing, and with many dance books and recordings to his credit. He is the artistic director of Earthly Delights Historic Dance Academy and leader of the band Earthly Delights.

Dance Workshops tbc - 4 workshops a day, with the first workshop every day for newcomers and a warm up for all –

and a pre-requisite to attending the Ball on Saturday Night!

1.    The Austen era country dance—an introduction to ‘the felicities of rapid motion’.

2.    We’re not at war with Paris—the French dances enjoyed in Austen’s England.  

3.    The new craze from Scotland and what Darcy meant when he mentioned the reel.

4.    The knotty German dance—the salsa of the Regency era.  

5.    So tonight we’ gonna party like it's 1799—What you need to know to fudge the ball.

6.    Dances that went to the music and names in the Austen family manuscripts.

7.    Imports from Austria and Russia—including the Duke of Devonshire’s favourite.

8.    The easy minuet of the day—and how it became a folk dance.

9.    It’s a hard set that doesn’t ask for more’—a Jane Austen House Party with dances linked to her family plus your requests.

Aylwen Gardiner-Garden

Aylwen is an events coordinator and self-stitched costume historian, seamstress and dancer. She is a member of the Australian Costumers Guild, American Costume Society and is the Director of Jane Austen Festival Australia. In 2009 & 2011 she travelled overseas to study historical clothing construction and attend historical costume conferences in the UK, US and Denmark.

Pre-festival Regency Bonnet Workshop - (limited to 15) In this workshop you will make regency bonnet. Bring your own fabric cutting scissors, sewing needles, pins, thread in same colour as your fabric, fabric marking pen/chalk, 50cm of 100% cotton or silk (115-150cm width) and 100cm of 1" wide matching ribbon. Pattern & handout will be provided. To enrol in this pre-festival 2-day bonnet making workshop go to http://jafa2012.eventbrite.com/.

Stitches and Seam Techniques (WORKSHOP)

Learn about the stitches and construction techniques in use 200 years ago. Techniques will be demonstrated and student will make a sample for each stitch. Stitches to be learnt include backstitch, running stitch, butted seams, stand-up seam, lapped fell seam, raw-edge finishes, narrow hems and topstitched seams. Kit provided includes handout, sample fabric, needle and thread. Please bring your own fabric scissors.

Muffs (WORKSHOP)

When Jane Austen was a teenager in the late 1780’s several portraits of well-known actresses holding muffs were painted by a variety of famous artists including Thomas Gainsborough, Sir Thomas Lawrence, and Sir Joshua Reynolds. We'll start you making your own muff to take away and finish in your own time.

Regency 'Betsie' or Neck Ruff/Frill (WORKSHOP)

Fashion follows cycles, and so we see the Elizabethan ruff influencing the wearing of neck ruffs and frills during the regency period. This ruff earnt the names of 'Betsie' from Elizabeth I and 'cherusse' as the name given to starched lace collarettes. It was worn with high-necked gowns and as decoration with lower-necked dresses. In August 1815, Mirror of Fashion, a section of the Ladies' Monthly Museum mentions "a double Frill of worked muslin round the neck".

Class members will make a single neck frill from white lawn and ribbon.

Quilted Regency Coats (WORKSHOP)

Regency coats were worn to keep the wearer both warm and dry. Stitching patterns were used to hold the wadding in place, and often these stitches were just as beautiful a design as the garment itself. See an antique regency coat up close and study how it was put together. Workshop participants will then make a copy of its collar.

Make a White Regency Drawn Bonnet (WORKSHOP)

Bring your own fabric cutting scissors, a bodkin, sewing needles, pins, strong white sewing thread, fabric marking pen/chalk, 1m white/offwhite silk organza or handkerchief linen (115-150cm width) and 100cm of 1" wide matching ribbon.(a rolled hem foot and zipper foot if using a sewing machine) Pattern & handout will be provided. Linen or silk organza can be ordered from Aylwen. 

Regency Letterbook  (WORKSHOP)

On her trip to the US in March 2011, Aylwen was fascinated by the Georgian and Regency letterbooks. Although quite small, they are large enough to hold letters, and in particular some feature designs indicating they were used to hold love letters. Workshop participants will start making a silk taffeta regency letterbook, and take away a kit to finish making it in their own time.

Jacqui Newling

Jacqui holds a Masters in Gastronomy. She currently works as a guide at Vaucluse & Elizabeth Bay Houses and runs a series of Colonial Gastronomy programs for Historic Houses Trust NSW. Jacqui guest lectures in Food Across Cultures at Macquarie University (Anthropolgy) and holds regular Spice Appreciation classes at Herbie's Spices in Sydney.

GASTRONOMY

Punches, Cordials & Refreshers (WORKSHOP)

Explore the variety of flavoursome & thought-to-be wholesome beverages enjoyed in Jane Austen's times. We will prepare liquid treats to serve at supper, based on authentic Regency and traditional recipes.

Maria MacArthur In 1812 Maria MacArthur was about to embark on a challenging and new-life's role in the colony - as bride-to-be she would beanaging her own domestic empire. A benevolent Aunt sent her a detailed letter from England advising her on all manner of household matters, including instructions on how to host sociable dinners and parties. Today we examine her catering repertoire to gain a insight into Regency tastes culinary and social!

Julia Ermert

Julia Ermert is a member of the Jane Austen Society of  Aust. and lectures on Jane Austen for U3A and for the library system. She agrees with her favourite author that 'to be fond of dancing is a certain step towards falling in love', and is delighted to find a conference that combines both pleasures.

Marriage a la Mode

The two best-known letters in Jane Austen's novels come from Captain Wentworth and Mr Darcy. One is leading up to a marriage proposal and the other is after a rejected proposal. Each was hand-delivered as young women did not receive letters from men to whom they were not engaged .. which made things a bit difficult! But marriage in Regency times was full of pitfalls, what with banns and special licences, dowries, settlements and jointures ... but is it really any easier nowadays?

Deborah Mulhall

Deborah Mulhall has written 9 full length plays – which have enjoyed seasons in Australia and overseas. There have been 5 adaptations to the stage : Pride & Prejudice; Les Liaisons Dangereuses ,The Scarlet Pimpernel  and Sense & Sensibility. Original works include Pipe Dreams; Gentlemen Incorporated (optioned for film), Cry,Wolf (Honorable Mention New York New Works of Merit Playwriting Competition 2003 and performed in New York at 13th St Repertory Co.)The Jocasta Complexity and The Making of Elizabeth. The Storm Sisters is being developed for a television series.

Deborah has also produced and directed over 15 plays including: Don’s Party; Cat on a Hot Tin Roof; Arsenic and Old Lace; Blithe Spirit; Valentino – The Musical;  Julius Caesar; Whose Life is it Anyway?; Butterflies are Free; Harlequinade; Goodbye Charlie; Macbeth  and  The Fantastics .

Not limited to the writer/director role, Deborah has, at times, practised what she preached! Early roles included Raina in Arms and the Man, Kate in Taming of the Shrew and Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Most recently, she sank her teeth into Martha in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf.

Believing that writing, like life, is a never-ending learning experience, Deborah is involved in many aspects of artist development. From The International playwright’s Symposium in Italy, to successfully training actors for schools such as Stella Adler in New York , there have also been involvement with Cambridge University (England) Footlights Revue ; The Illawarra Council for the Performing Arts ; Wollongong Workshop Theatre; Ars Viva ; Playworks, Parnassus Den,  Arcadians Theatre Group, Roo Theatre Company, Factory Space Theatre Company, New Theatre; Crash Test Drama and Writers’ Anon. In addition, Deborah was a founding member of Lake Theatre Group and Parramatta Theatre Company. For more information, go to Deb’s website:  www.deborahmulhall.com

Txting Austen - the challenge of converting letters to performance

How does a screenwriter or playwright deal with letters when adapting a novel to stage and screen? What are their options when letters carry so much important information? The session will offer not only an outline with examples of how various writers have handled this but also a fun hands-on approach! Adaptations and transformations offer all sorts of approaches limited only by the imagination!

Lynne Cook

Since completing the Advanced Certificate in Garment Design and Construction in the 1980’s, Lynne has many years experience in drafting, and constructing, clothing and costumes for both men and women.  It’s only since her involvement in historical recreation societies in the 90’s that her interest in research (for accurate detail) came about.  Though her main interest is historical reproduction, she has also made costumes/clothing from Science Fiction, Fantasy and pop culture genres.  She has also studied millinery and was taught to knit, crochet and embroider as a child.  She is currently the National President of the Australian Costumers’ Guild, which has given her the opportunity to travel to different states around Australia to share her knowledge.

“Make a Plume” (WORKSHOP)

Working on the information from the demo on Feathers last year, this is your chance to make a feather Plume for yourself.  A plume is generally constructed of 2 or 3 feathers sewn together and often wired, and then curled.  Feathers and wire will be supplied for a cost of $10.  Feathers will be either white, black or natural.  You are welcome to bring your own feathers (you’ll need 3 ostrich feathers/drabs of approximately 30cm/12”)

 “Make a Regency ‘Saque’ Hat” (WORKSHOP)

This is a hat that comes under Turbans and I think it is the Regency version of the Beanie – always a good hat for those bad hair days (as are most turbans).  A Saque is made in a similar fashion to a mob cap or caul, so it can be easily sewn by hand (there’s really not much sewing) so there’s no need to bring a sewing machine along to this workshop.

Please bring: 50cm length of fabric* (115-150cm width), matching thread, sewing needles, pins and scissors.  (Optional tassel or bead dangle. Other decoration to be discussed during the workshop.)

"Adapting Sleeves for the Larger Figure" (WORKSHOP)

Many of us no longer have the sylph-like figures of youth.  Learn to manipulate a sleeve pattern to fit larger upper arms.  (This method is also suitable for gentlemen with large biceps, but we will be looking primarily at ladies styles.)  BYO paper, paper scissors, ruler, sticky tape, pencil, eraser, pen, and tape measure.  I will bring a basic ‘puff sleeve’ pattern and a more fitted long sleeve for you to alter, but please feel free to bring your own sleeve pattern to work on.

Meg Gardiner

After a lifetime of reading and eight years of teaching English in an all-girls school Meg is well acquainted with the nuances of Jane Austen and writing many different text types. Putting her passion into practice is what Meg loves to do and her presentation and workshops will help you to do this too. When not reading and teaching Meg loves to explore her new interest in historical costuming, singing and getting her hands dirty in the garden.

Presentation: What’s all the fuss about some old letters?
This presentation will be a brief overview of the influence of letter writing and letter writers across time, leading into Jane Austen and the influence of her letter writing adding to her body of work. Some of the areas to be covered will include: Who did Jane Austen write to? How important was letter writing in Regency England? What did Jane Austen write about? How are we, as people of the 21^st Century, going to be influenced by the great letter writers.

Workshop: “The Elegant Art of Letter Writing”
This is a practical workshop supported by a look at the content, form and structure of personal letters. Is letter writing a dying art in the 21^st Century? What do we write about given the prevalence of electronic forms of communication? Can I still craft a fine letter? We will also touch on the etiquette of responses and replies. At the conclusion of this workshop you will leave with ideas aplenty, some sample letters and replies, hints and tips, and stationery or a card ready to write your own letter from the Jane Austen Festival, Canberra 2012.  

Gabriel & Matthew Bieniek

Gabriel Bieniek is a classically trained soprano who studied at the University of Wollongong and Sydney Conservatorium of Music. She continues to perform a wide variety of music from the Renaissance to C20th, both as a soloist & ensemble member. She has also lectured & tutored in Music History at both the Sydney Conservatorium & Australian Institute of Music, and is a great believer in history assisting in musical appreciation and understanding. She lives in Canberra, has 2 young children and teaches Singing part-time.

Matthew Bieniek is a composer and pianist, and a Masters graduate of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. He is a represented composer through the Australian Music Centre, and in 2003 was awarded the ISCM-CASH Young Composer Award, with a commission for the Gaudeamus Music Week 2005 in Amsterdam. He has taught both piano and composition, but currently works for the AEC in Canberra, and composes and plays in his spare time.

Despite the challenge of having 2 young children, Matthew & Gabriel have regularly performed in concert together over the years, for organisations such as the Bathurst and Redlands Arts Councils, and the Mitchell Conservatorium of Music. They enjoy presenting musical programs of their own choice and design.

Music in the life of a Regency family

We often know about the musical 'greats' of a particular era, but how much relevance did they have for their contemporaries? What standard of musical education was a sign of a well-schooled young lady? How much musical study did gentlemen undertake? Did every good home have a pianoforte, and how often was it used? And in what stead were professional musicians held in society? Taking Jane Austen's letters as a starting point, this seminar will present samples of popular music of the time and a discussion of the role it played in everyday life in Regency England.

Variety night performances

Accompanied by Matthew, Gabriel will perform a selection of songs which would have been familiar in professional concert halls in Regency England, as well as a few more popular numbers. Bring your voices for a bit of a singalong!

Samantha Miller

Samantha is a long time Jane Austen enthusiast with an Arts degree from University of Sydney. She has always been interested in social history and this particular time period is fascinating in it's high rate of change. Sam also enjoys writing, acting and costuming.

The Regency Letter

Follow the journey of the regency letter from start to finish. The stages it would go through and how it would make it's way from one hand to another. From the short journey of a note sent house to house to a cross country or even across the world letter. Samantha will draw on letters from JA novels and also well known people from the time.

The Welsh Folk Dancers

Jane Austen in Wales?

Did Jane Austen ever visit Wales? A letter from her niece Anna to her half-brother suggests the family went there. What would  they be doing? What was Wales like in Regency times?

Sophia Whitfield

Sophia is the co-owner and publisher at New Frontier Publishing.

New Frontier publishes quality children's books that uplift, inspire and educate.

In her spare time she writes under the pen name of Alex Field. She has written numerous articles about children- she has five - and books.

In October 2011 her first book was released. Mr Darcy is a children's picture book about a well mannered, but slightly pompous duck.

Jane Austen's novels in contemporary society

In recent years we have seen a proliferation of novels loosely based on Jane Austen's work. Bridget Jones' Diary and Pride and Prejudice and Zombies to name a few. Harper Collins have just commissioned a new series based on Jane Austen's work. Well known novelist Joanna Trollope will be rewriting Sense and Sensibility. Five more authors will be chosen to rewrite Austen's other novels. Sophia will speak about these modern rewrites and discuss whether they enhance or hinder Austen's work?