Happy Ever Afters: An Irish Comedy

Sally Hawkins and Tom Riley are two actors Jane Austen fans know well. Sally played Anne Elliot in 2007’s Persuasion and Tom Riley recently did a turn as Mr. Wickham in Lost in Austen. Both play the lead in a new Irish comedy, Happy Ever Afters’, scheduled to open after Christmas in Ireland.



The plot is goofy and improbable: Two wedding parties are double-booked and end up at the same reception venue. The bride from one wedding and groom from the other wedding realize they made a mistake in marrying their spouses as they fall for each other. Chaos ensues in what is described as an enjoyable slapstick film.


First-time director Stephen Burke chose two British actors to play Irishmen. Tom Riley described how he learned to speak with an Irish accent, which sounds like a comedy in itself:

“When I came on set the first day everyone was saying ‘Ok, that is too Dublin, nobody is going to understand you outside of Ireland’ and then there was ‘Can you sound more English?’. Now an English person doing an Irish accent trying to sound more English… well, I don’t know how successful I was. And especially because we were on a set where there are people from Galway, Cork and Northern Ireland and everyone is giving you their opinion. So I just decided to keep everything as neutral as possible and hopefully it’s ok, we’ll see how people respond.”

Learn more about the film in this article: Marrying Irish Humour & Filmmaking Talent, ‘Happy Ever Afters’ in Cinemas Dec 26

And read a review in Cinametic Concerns

Happy Ever Afters’ will be released in Irish cinemas on Saturday, December 26th. I can’t wait until it hits the U.S.

Jane Austen Movie Throwdown

Last week we asked you to choose which hero in uniform you liked best. And while many readers liked Colonel Brandon, the majority chose Captain Wentworth in his dashing navy uniform. This week you are asked to choose your favorite militia man from the three actors who portrayed Mr. Wickham.

The hero in uniform I like best (Part 2)

Adrian Lukis as Mr. Wickham , Pride and Prejudice 1995

Rupert Friend as Mr. Wickham, Pride and Prejudice 2005

Tom Riley as Mr. Wickham, Lost in Austen, 2009

Best Mr. Wickham in Uniform
	Adrian Lukis, 1995
	Rupert Friend, 2005
	Tom Riley, 2009
pollcode.com free polls

The Hunks of Lost in Austen

Elliot Cowan as Mr. Darcy

Elliot Cowan (left) as Ptolemy with Colin Farrell as Alexander. In a wet shirt or a leather skirt, Elliot cuts a fine figure of a man. Here's an interview with him and a professional listing.

Tom Riley as George Wickham practically steals the show, especially in Episode Three.

He is rather new to the business, having acted relatively a few years. Here's an interview he did in 2007 and an article about him from 2005.

Tom Mison as Mr. Bingley.

Mr. Mison in modern garb. Yum. Find out more about him on his web site.

Er, well, three out of four isn't bad. Guy Henry as Mr. Collins is creepy. But he looks kinda cool and suauve with Anna Maxwell Martin at the opening of Betrayal, 2007. Here's his biography.

Oh, ok. You asked for it: one more pix of Mr. Darcy wet.

Jane Austen's World reviews of Lost in Austen:

• Episode Four
  
• Episode Three
• Episode Two
• Episode One

Austen Prose reviews:

• Episode Three
• Episode Two
• Episode One
  

Guardian UK Blog: Lost in Austen: Click here

Posted by Vic, Jane Austen's World