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Full casting has been announced for the new stage adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic novel Emma, which is touring from next month.

First announced in May, and produced by Theatre Royal Bath, the tour coincides with this year’s 250th anniversary celebrations of the birth of Jane Austen, one of Britain’s most famous novelists.

Based on Austen’s novel, Emma is adapted by Ryan Craig (What We Did To Weinstein, Filthy Business), and directed by founder of English Touring Theatre and former Rose Theatre head Stephen Unwin (Farm Hall).

The tour starts at Theatre Royal Bath from 11 to 20 September 2025, and then visits Guildford, Birmingham, Sheffield, Malvern, and Oxford. Announced today, the show will also visit Poole, with further dates to be announced.

The cast of Emma will feature rising star India Shaw-Smith (Spartacus: House of Usher) as Emma Woodhouse, alongside Ed Sayer as George Knightley, William Chubb as Mr Woodhouse, Maiya Louise Thapar as Harriet Smith, Oscar Batterham as Philip Elton, Daniel Rainford as Robert Martin, Peter Losasso as Frank Churchill, Jade Kennedy as Jane Fairfax, and Rose Quentin as Augusta Hawkins.

Casting is completed by Jordan Kilshaw, Lukwesa Mwamba, Charlie Norton, Hugh Osborne and Jordan Stamatiadis.

Jane Austen's Emma - Casting

The wider creative team for Emma includes Set & Costume Designer Ceci Caff, Lighting Designer Ben Ormerod, Sound Designer John Leonard, Casting Director Ginny Schiller, Associate Director Millie Gaston, Choreographer Natasha Harrison, Composer Matthew Scott, Production Manager Andrew Pye, Costume Supervisor Heather Leat, and Props Supervisor Katie Balmforth.

This new production of Emma will feature all of the memorable characters from Jane Austen’s novel, including the dashing Mr Knightley, Emma’s friends Jane Fairfax and Harriet Smith, the mercenary Reverend Elton and his delightfully pretentious wife Augusta.

The story of Emma centres on beautiful, high-spirited Emma Woodhouse, who is determined that she will never marry but loves to meddle in her friends’ and neighbours’ relationships. When her confidante and former governess, Miss Taylor weds her fiancé Mr Weston, Emma, having introduced the couple, takes credit for the marriage and decides that a future in matchmaking lies ahead of her.

So begins a comic journey through the lives and loves of Emma’s friends and neighbours, embracing the burgeoning Regency social scene of Bath and Weymouth. But as the romantic web she weaves amongst her friends becomes ever more entangled, will Emma herself get swept up in true love’s wake…?

Emma is on tour this autumn, from September 2025.

Book tickets to Jane Austen’s Emma

Emma – UK tour dates

THEATRE ROYAL BATH
Thursday 11 September – Saturday 20 September 2025

YVONNE ARNAUD, GUILDFORD
Tuesday 23 September – Saturday 27 September 2025

BIRMINGHAM REP
Monday 29 September – Saturday 4 October 2025

SHEFFIELD LYCEUM
Tuesday 7 October – Saturday 11 October 2025

MALVERN THEATRE
Monday 13 October – Saturday 18 October 2025

OXFORD PLAYHOUSE
Monday 20 October – Saturday 25 October 2025

LIGHTHOUSE POOLE
Monday 10 November – Saturday 15 November 2025

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Main photo: Jane Austen's Emma starring India Shaw-Smith. Photo by Faye Thomas (Photo via agent)

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