Adrian Lukis (Wickham) to appear at Jane Austen Festival

Amongst the 60 or so events crammed into this year’s annual Jane Austen Festival in Bath will be the special appearance by actor Adrian Lukis (George Wickham in the BBC 1995 adaptation of P&P). Very appropriate as this year marks the 200th anniversary of the sale of the copyright of Pride & Prejudice to the publisher Thomas Egerton.

Jane Austen wrote excitedly in November 1812, “P & P is sold. – Egerton gives £110 for it. – I would rather have had £150, but we could not both be pleased, & I am not at all surprised that he should not chuse to hazard so much…”  Wow, what a bargain!

Jackie Herring, Festival Director, says, “ We felt it right and correct to start celebrating what is probably the most popular book in the English language this year, rather than leave it until the anniversary of the actual publication date next year.”

This year, the 12th annual Jane Austen Festival runs from Friday 14th to Saturday 22nd September 2012. A highlight of every Festival is the world famous, record breaking Grand Regency Promenade where 500+ fans in full Regency costume parade through the streets of Bath – it’s a rare delight and takes place on Saturday 15th of September.

Information

Full details of Festival events can be found here