Northanger Abbey

Northanger Abbey is a brilliantly amusing tale of coming-of-age, often described as Jane Austen's "Gothic parody." There is an eerie quality to the narrative, but it has a distinctly humorous edge thanks to the novel's abandoned castles, hidden chambers, enigmatic chests, cryptic letters, and oppressive dads.

Catherine Morland, a marvelously naïve seventeen-year-old from a rural parsonage, is the story's improbable heroine. Catherine meets and falls in love with Henry Tilney while staying in Bath for a few weeks with a family friend. Henry extends an invitation for her to visit his family's home, Northanger Abbey. Once inside, Catherine, an avid reader of Gothic thrillers, allows the ancient mansion's eerie aura to instill fear in her. What is the secret underlying Henry's mother's passing? Are the exquisite chambers of the Abbey home to a horrible truth that the family is hiding? Is Henry a part of a sinister plot, or can she trust him? Even the most mundane situations seem to have terrible portents to Catherine, but Henry eventually convinces her that there is danger when one confuses life with art.

Northanger Abbey, which is performed with a lively zeal, is a humorous yet heartless reflection on marriage and love.