Becoming Meg Dashwood

Executive produced by, and starring, Emma Thompson, 'Becoming Meg Dashwood' picks up where Sense and Sensibility left off. A bold imagining of what it might have meant to rewrite the rule book in 19th century England.

‘When you are thirteen years old, Margaret, you will witness your sister Marianne being made a fool of for love. You will make an oath that you will never love a man and lose yourself.’

Marriage is not for Margaret Dashwood. Where others see duty, Margaret sees entrapment. And rage.

But when an invitation from family friend Mrs Jennings hurls her into the chaotic heart of Covent Garden, Margaret discovers an intoxicating world beyond afternoon tea and polite society. Here she meets three women who live Nelly, an impulsive actress; Hester, a witch who works in the textile factory; and Inge, a sex worker who loves money and knows exactly how to get it. Here, Margaret’s rage is celebrated, along with her musical talents, and in their fierce company she is reborn as artist, and woman of hidden fires.

All four women dare to imagine a life dictated by pleasure, politics, and possibility. But such a life demands sacrifice. Especially when Meg’s feelings for Nelly - tender, electric, terrifying - begin to deepen. How does one fall in love, when that love has no name?

Becoming Meg Dashwood is a riotous, rebellious period drama. A pleasure story, not a love story.

Except, of course, that it is.

Starring Emma Thompson, Erin Doherty, Naomi Ackie, Liz Carr, Jessica Gunning, Paterson Joseph, Golda Rosheuvel, Greg Wise, Hedi Honert and Imelda Staunton. Plus a full ensemble cast starring Alex Austin, Robyn Holdaway, Rebecca Humphries, Gordon Kennedy, Clare Lawrence Moody, Ashley McGuire, Timothy Renouf, Sam Swann, Delilah Tahiri, Harry Trevaldwyn, Harley Viveash, Martha Bobroff, Ella Read and Chloe Raphael.

Featuring a dynamic new score by Natasha Khan, known as Bat for Lashes, written by Rebecca Humphries and directed by Jo Tyabji.

An Audible Original produced with Thomas Carter Projects.

Available in Dolby Atmos on Audible.