“That Elasticity of Mind” at Jane Austen & Co.

Part of the Unsung Characters series, Katherine Koller’s talk, “That Elasticity of Mind: Mrs. Smith and Nurse Rooke in Persuasion” is now available to view online. Playwright Katherine Koller talks about the process of adapting Persuasion for the stage and why she chose to include Mrs. Smith and Nurse Rooke in her play. A comparison of the movie versions of Persuasion and their treatment of Mrs. Smith and Nurse Rooke is included. In a close reading of the text, Anne’s friend and friend-of-a-friend test Anne’s loyalty, not only in love, but in friendship, and illuminate Anne’s rosy glasses, her “dear self,” and inherent awareness of rank. Featuring a staged reading of one scene from the new adaptation of Persuasion by Katherine Koller, directed by Caroline Howarth and read by Erika Holba, Lori Mohacsy and Lauren Tamke, with videography by Kalli Elder. In the reader’s theatre clip presented, Anne gets a reality check that confirms her constancy to Frederick Wentworth, provides a chosen sisterhood, and prepares her for a life-changing debate with an audience of one.