As Valentine's Day Approaches

As Valentine's Day approaches, I find that visiting the blogs of so many creative & talented people is encouraging me to anticipate the event more than I normally would. In light of this, I thought I would bring attention to a BBC series currently airing on PBS. My family and I have been enjoying a new and somewhat unique interpretation of Jane Austen's Emma. The cast includes Michael Gambon (now famous for his role as Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter movies) as Mr Woodhouse. Of course, he will always be dear Squire Hamley to me. Actress Romola Garai (Amazing Grace) plays an innocent, uncontriving Emma with brilliance. This production addresses one of the major troubling issues of Emma's character - how can she be so exceptional and manipulative while at the same time remaining a sympathetic and likable figure. The underlying answer given is sheltered naiveté. Garai portrays Emma as a truly lovely and endearing creature. Her relationship with her father is displayed in a more sensitive and understanding light; and the repartee, rapport, and comfortable interaction between Emma and Mr. Knightly is wonderful. Besides there is a great deal of quirky humor and fun throughout. Be prepared for a new fairytale-like device for introducing the primary characters of the story and then settle in for a treat. I hope you enjoy this classic "coming to know one's own heart" romance as much as I have. You can find out more about the airing of Emma on PBS.org here:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/emma/