Wokingham Theatre presents Laura Wade's The Watsons, based on Jane Austen's unfinished novel. 'The Watsons' starts as a traditional (if slightly sent-up) regency comedy, before descending into chaos when the characters realise they are running out of plot, only to find guidance from an unexpected source...

Lovesong

Date: Thursday 18 to Saturday 28 March 2026
Time: 7.45pm (doors open 7pm)
Location: Wokingham Theatre, Twyford Road, Cantley Park, RG40 5TU
Price: £16
Booking: Tickets available here
Running time: Two hours, including 20 minute interval

The story

What happens when the writer loses the plot? Emma Watson is 19 and new in town. She’s been cut off by her rich aunt and dumped back in the family home. Emma and her sisters must marry, fast.⁠
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If not, they face poverty, spinsterhood, or worse: an eternity with their boorish brother and his awful wife. Luckily there are plenty of potential suitors to dance with, from flirtatious Tom Musgrave to castle-owning Lord Osborne, who’s as awkward as he is rich. ⁠
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So far, so familiar. ⁠
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But there’s a problem: Jane Austen didn’t finish the story. Who will write Emma’s happy ending now?⁠
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Based on her incomplete novel, this sparklingly witty play looks under the bonnet of Jane Austen and asks: What can characters do when their author abandons them?⁠
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💬 “Playful, clever, and inventive.” The Arts Desk⁠
💬 “A stunning play.” The Guardian⁠

Visit Wokingham Theatre's website for more details.