Our eponymous heroine believes herself to be a clever and astute lady who, using her powers of observation and her perceived extensive understanding of human nature, guides those around her in their affairs of the heart. She is headstrong, manipulative and extremely class conscious, but Emma Woodhouse remains one of Jane Austin’s most fascinating characters and in this adaptation of the well loved novel proves to be just as meddlesome and endearing as ever. Her efforts to maintain the social order of Highbury are inevitably doomed to failure but not before generating much laughter and warmth along the way.

India Shaw-Smith takes the role of Emma — she is poised, self-assured, and just about on the right side of infuriating. With every tilt of the head and measured stride, Shaw-Smith captures Emma’s polite arrogance and misplaced confidence. Her comic timing is impeccable, highlighting the humour in the disconnect between Emma’s words and deeds. However, she also reveals a subtle vulnerability as Emma begins to recognise her own mistakes. Her performance is nuanced anchoring the production beautifully throughout.

William Chubb is wonderful as Mr Woodhouse, Emma’s anxious, hypochondriacal father. His physical comedy of nervous gestures and comic despair is a joy whilst his fear of being left alone produced some of the performances biggest laughs. Rose Quentin as Augusta Hawkins and Oscar Batterham as Mr Elton make a wonderfully unpleasant pair, revelling in their characters’ social climbing and self-importance. Their barbed exchanges are sharply funny, and their chemistry perfectly captures Austen’s satire of class and vanity.

Ed Sayer’s George Knightley gives a measured and intelligent performance which is a perfect foil to Emma’s impulsive interference. The chemistry between George and Emma roots the production in an emotional truth, ensuring that the play’s final reconciliation is justified. Maiya Louise Thapar took the role of Harriet with both confidence and charm. Her performance charted Harriet’s journey from naïve devotion to newfound independence with warmth and subtlety, earning well deserved applause.

Whilst the adaptation by Ryan Craig may be long winded, not a word is wasted. The script is full of wit, insight, and many genuine laugh-out-loud moments. Under Stephen Unwin’s direction, the production moves at a confident pace, its two and a half hours passing almost unnoticed. Ceci Calf’s minimalist set design is both elegant and functional, allowing the ensemble to glide furniture and props on and off with well-rehearsed precision. The uncluttered staging gives Austen’s dialogue and characters the space they deserve, while the physical comedy and ensemble choreography keep the piece visually dynamic. The costumes are sumptuous and when back lit provide wonderful silhouettes. All in all a truly visual feast.

By the final act, as Emma’s schemes unravel into hard-won happy-ever-afters, the audience cannot help but leave uplifted. This production captures the heart of Austen’s world: its vanity, its virtue, and its unshakable belief in the redemptive power of self-knowledge and love.

There are, of course, two universally acknowledged truths about Jane Austen’s work: that any discussion must nod to that famous opening line, and that after Pride and Prejudice, her most beloved novel is Emma. This wonderful production reminds us exactly why.

India Shaw Smith (Emma) and Rose Quentin (Augusta Hawkins) Photo Credit: Simon Annand

Sheffield Lyceum Theatre Until 11th October