Bonnets at the ready, with 2025 marking two and a half centuries since Jane Austen’s birth, does “bad lad” Mr Darcy still do it for Gen Z?
From erotic audio books to one-woman comedy shows, an Austen invasion is under way this year with various reinterpretations of her work being offered up from those savvy enough to spot a marketing opportunity.
Many promise their own modern twists on classics like Pride & Prejudice but does Austen’s work really need updating to appeal to modern tastes?
Nichi Hodgson – whose book The Curious History Of Dating: From Jane Austen To Tinder compares Regency romance to now – understands how the “rituals of the era” can sometimes be “a stumbling block for people that want to read the stories”.
Image: Nichi Hodgson
“But if you do read the books it really is about the emotions and characters,” she insists.
“Mr Darcy… at the beginning, he’s kind of a bad lad. The key tenants of the connection… wanting to kiss all night, you know, that’s still appealing to people.”
Of course, what you won’t find in Austen’s classics are any explicit sex scenes.
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As Hodgson explains: “People didn’t really have sex before marriage, it was completely frowned upon.
“Skip forward to the Victorian era and actually one-in-three working class brides were already pregnant on their wedding day… but in Jane Austen’s era, it wasn’t the done thing.”
But for modern readers who prefer taking a story that’s a little spicier to bed, audio erotica platform Bloom Stories has just released its version of Pride & Prejudice.
Listeners get to hear 14 hours of their steamy reimagining of Austen’s iconic love story.
Hannah Albertshauser, Bloom Stories’ chief executive, admits they “created it because people have been daydreaming about Mr Darcy for generations”.
“Sexual desire undoubtedly existed in Austen’s time, but it was rarely expressed openly in literature.
“With this adaptation, we wanted to celebrate sexual empowerment by giving voice to the desires that were once left unsaid and of course, highlight female agency and pleasure.”
The fact that people are still reimagining Austen’s work today is arguably testament to her solid plots… but is it patronising to assume younger readers would only pick up Pride & Prejudice with a sexier rewrite?
Image: Matthew Semple
Australian playwright Matthew Semple says the original is “absolutely a story for and of and by young people”.
“Jane Austen wasn’t much older than many Gen Z’s today when she wrote it.”
Image: Plied and Prejudice
Transferring to London from a sellout run in Australia, his show Plied And Prejudice plays the classic novel for laughs.
Five actors scramble to play twenty characters in a chaotic retelling of Elizabeth Bennet and Mister Darcy’s love story.
“After we opened it in Brisbane…we had to add about a month’s worth of shows because it just popped off,” he says.
And while there’s plenty for his audiences to find funny, “a lot of the cultural aspects”, he insists, are still as relevant today when it comes to “the way we view gender politics“.
Young stand-up comedian Rosalie Minnitt agrees: “We’re still all wrestling with this idea of love that came from that period of history.”
Minnitt is currently on tour with her Austen-inspired one-woman show after her character Lady Clementine proved to be one of the stand-out hits at the Edinburgh Fringe.
“We’re in quite an interesting space with genders, men and women not really understanding each other, people struggling with dating, and it feels as though the show has taken on a really interesting new energy,” she admits.
While the world of dating has changed wildly from Austen’s times, Minnit – whose show is all about her character’s hunt for “the one” – believes plus can change.
“So much of her work was about poking fun at the world she lived in… being let down by men, being pressured by your mum, these are all things that I think that modern women are still dealing with.”
Plied And Prejudice runs at The Vaults, Waterloo until 27 April.
Rosalie Minnitt: Clementine is touring the UK including at London’s Soho Theatre on 9 and 10 May.
Nichi Hodgson’s book The Curious History Of Dating: From Jane Austen To Tinder is available to order online.
The Edinburgh Fringe, the world’s largest arts festival, is getting under way, and the conflict in Gaza seems to be feeding into what’s happening.
From shows cancelled to artists divided, it’s no joke.
Rachel Creeger has had a distressing start to her stand-up run.
Two weeks ago, out of the blue, she says the venue Whistle Binkies rang her and fellow Jewish comedian Philip Simon to cancel their slots.
Image: Rachel Creeger says her Edinburgh shows have been cancelled by the venue
She told Sky News it’s come down to “what we bring to that venue by being ourselves”.
The pair were allegedly given three reasons for the cancellation.
One was linked to a “vigil for IDF soldiers” that she says the venue initially claimed had been held during her performance last year but, according to Creeger, later had to admit hadn’t taken place.
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“That never happened,” she insists.
Rachel says she was told her previous performances there had resulted in the venue having to pay for graffiti to be removed from toilet doors every three days.
“Again, we didn’t see evidence of that at all,” she says.
“We’re not the ones writing it… but if it was bothering them and they worried it was bothering us, then maybe we’d have volunteered to help them – or to help clean it.”
She claims she was also told the venue was responding to staff concerns about their own safety should Creeger’s show go ahead.
“It’s a pub in Edinburgh, it’s a music venue, they themselves have bouncers most evenings… And perhaps they might say if there’s a concern about extra risk, we should do all we can to make our performers safe.”
‘More unites us than divides us’
Creeger says her show is in no way political.
“It’s based around the idea that a Jewish mother can answer any question, solve any problem… I will make it better for you, the audience gets to write a question and put it into a chicken soup pot… The reason I kind of love it is because by the end of it people leave feeling actually more unites us than divides us.
“We’re not the people making the trouble,” she adds.
“I’ve certainly never started a protest, I’ve never done graffiti, I’ve never caused harm anywhere; my show doesn’t do that, my show is lovely.”
As Britain’s only touring comedian who is also a practising Orthodox Jew, she says since the 7 October attack she and other Jewish comedians are experiencing a significant increase in antisemitism while performing.
“We’re not Israeli, we’re British Jews,” says Creeger.
“The situation there is horrendous and distressing and painful for people of any number of religions and races… To be kind of scapegoated with dog whistles around that is clearly very, very unpleasant.”
The Fringe Society has said its role is to provide support and advice to all participants at the festival “with a vision to give anyone a stage and everyone a seat”.
A spokesperson explained they don’t manage or programme venues and “we understand that the show cancellations have been a choice made by the venue”.
Whistle Binkies hasn’t responded to multiple requests for comment.
Police Scotlandtold Sky News it hasn’t “received any reports of concern” about Creeger’s show.
There are, of course, huge sensitivities when it comes to discussing what’s going on in the world right now.
American stand-up Zainab Johnson is making her Fringe debut this year.
While her show Toxically Optimistic is all about putting a positive spin on life’s challenges, she doesn’t shy away from tackling the serious stuff if it comes up.
Image: Zainab Johnson says her show doesn’t shy away from tackling serious issues
‘Shows becoming serious is a part of life’
“If I’m doing a show and somebody wants to yell out Free Palestine, well let’s talk about it,” she tells Sky News.
“I am the comedian where, if the show has to become serious, it becomes serious. That’s a part of life, you know?”
Johnson adds: “I’m from the United States and they talk about free speech all the time, but then you find out free speech ain’t really free because the moment you say something that is contrary to what the majority feels or wants to be heard, then you can be penalised…
“But isn’t that the beauty of this festival? So many people just telling their story, whatever their story is.”
Comedian Andy Parsons has had a long-standing career in satire, appearing regularly on shows like BBC2’s Mock the Week.
While he has the likes of Elon Musk and Nigel Farage in his sights for his stand-up show, Please #@!$ Off to Mars, they’re not his only focus.
Image: Andy Parsons says comedians ‘should be able to talk about anything’
He says stand-ups “should be able to talk about anything and find a way to get that to work, including Israel and Gaza”.
He explains jokingly: “I’ve got some stuff about Israel in the show and obviously it can work both ways. It can give you some publicity and obviously it can get you cancelled.”
Irish-Palestinian comedian Sami Abu Wardeh – a clown comic – is the only Palestinian doing a full run of a comedy show at this year’s Fringe.
“My show is clowning, it’s storytelling, it’s even got a bit of stand-up and it’s heavily inspired by the comedian Dave Allen, who is one of my comedy heroes,” says Wardeh.
“It felt really important that I come and just exist in this space, as a Palestinian, and speak my words and have my voice heard.
“I’ve used all of these skills to make a show that is about really what’s going on in this country and in the world at the moment.
Image: Irish-Palestinian comedian Sami Abu Wardeh is the only Palestinian doing a full run at this year’s Fringe
“I think most people in this country are going to recognise that Britain is in a very dark place… and I’m hoping to reach those people and to give a voice to the dissatisfaction.”
‘Plans in place’ for disruption
He’s had to consider the possibility of protests and take steps to “make sure that the audience and myself are safe and secure”.
“We have plans in place to know how to deal with people who are disruptive,” he says. “And particularly anybody who wants to bring any kind of bigoted views into the room.”
As one of the very few Palestinians at the festival, Wardeh says it is “not only my duty” but “an honour to be here and to represent my people”.
He also feels it’s wrong that Rachel Creeger has had her venue cancelled.
“I sincerely support free speech and I think everyone should be able to get on the stage and say what they want, within reason obviously,” says Wardeh.
Rachel says she hopes to confirm a new venue for her show on social media in the coming days.
“We’ve thankfully had a number of venues approach us to say that they have space available, so I’m hopeful that I’ll get – if not a full – then at least part of the run for the show.”
Since arriving in Edinburgh she’s been overwhelmed by how many hugs of support she’s received.
“To have super high-profile comedians put their heads above the parapet to say ‘this is wrong’, it means so much…In a way the story is that someone’s done something very hurtful… But look at all the love, that’s amazing.”
Sami Abu Wardeh’s Palestine: Peace de Resistance is at the Pleasance Dome in Edinburgh until 24 August Andy Parsons’ Please #@!$ Off to Mars is at Pleasance Courtyard’s Cabaret Bar until 10 August Zainab Johnson: Toxically Optimistic is at Pleasance Courtyard until 24 August
Flintoff previously described how he thought he had died in the accident – which saw him “pulled face-down on the runway” for about 50m under a three-wheel car.
The incident led to the BBC pulling the plug on Top Gear and it remains unclear if it will ever return.
Hollywood actor Brian Cox has told Sky News that Donald Trump is talking “bollocks” after suggesting there should be 50 or 75 years between Scottish independence referendums.
The US president said a country “can’t go through that too much” when questioned by reporters during his visit to Scotland this week.
The Emmy-winning star, who is an independence supporter, has hit back, branding him “that idiot in America”.
The 79-year-old told Sky News: “He’s talking bollocks. I’m sorry, but he does. It’s rubbish. Let’s get on with it and let’s get it [independence] done. We can do it.
“It’s been tough as there’s a great deal of undermining that has gone on.”
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Trump responds to Sky question on Israel
SNP fraud probe causing ‘harm’
Mr Cox said the police fraud investigation examining the SNP’s finances has done “enormous harm” to the party and wider independence movement.
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Nicola Sturgeon was arrested as part of the long-running police probe but cleared of any wrongdoing earlier this year.
The former first minister’s estranged husband Peter Murrell, who was SNP chief executive for two decades, appeared in court in April to face a charge of alleged embezzlement. He has entered no plea.
Brian Cox is preparing to return to the Scottish stage for the first time in a decade in a play about the Royal Bank of Scotland’s role in the 2008 financial crash.
Ahead of the Edinburgh festival performances, the veteran actor told Sky News: “I think it’s a masterpiece. It’s certainly one of the best pieces of work I’ve been involved in.
Image: Brian Cox speaking to Sky’s Connor Gillies
‘My friend Spacey should be forgiven’
The Succession star was also asked about his “old friend” Kevin Spacey.
The former House of Cards actor, 65, was exiled from the showbiz world in 2017 after allegations of sexual misconduct.
Spacey has admitted to “being too handsy” in the past and “touching someone sexually” when he didn’t know they “didn’t want him to”.
Spacey stood trial in the UK for multiple sexual offences against four men in July 2023 but was acquitted on all counts.
Image: Kevin Spacey
Mr Cox told Sky News: “I am so against cancel culture. Kevin has made a lot of mistakes, but there is a sort of viciousness about it which is unwarranted.
“Everybody is stupid as everybody else. Everybody is capable of the same mistakes and the same sins as everybody else.”
Asked if he could see a return to showbiz for Spacey, Cox replied: “I would think so eventually, but it’s very tough for him.
“He was tricky, but he has learnt a big lesson. He should be allowed to go on because he is a very fine actor. I just think we should be forgiving.”
He concluded: “What is the joy you get out of kicking somebody in the balls when they are down? That is what I cannot stand.”