The Period Events and Entertainments Re-creation Society (PEERS) will be holding a costume ball entitled A Jane Austen Ball in Bath on Saturday, March 2, at the San Mateo Masonic Lodge Ballroom. The event will recreate an elegant assembly ball set in the world of Jane Austen and inspired by her novels set in the city of Bath, England. In particular, the PEERS Flying Circus performers will be roleplaying characters from “Persuasion” and “Northanger Abbey.”
Guests can join in on the fun by costuming as historical characters or characters from any of Jane Austen’s novels who could feasibly be in Bath in 1814. However, any early 19th century (1800-1820) costume is also appropriate and modern evening dress is a perfectly acceptable alternative to period costume.
Entertainment for the evening will include Regency dancing, live dance music, musical numbers and card playing. There will be a pre-ball workshop at 7:00 p.m. in Regency country dance with Alan Winston of the Bay Area English Regency Society. Partners are not required, either for the dance class or the ball, and PEERS dance hosts will be happy to make introductions. Bangers and Mash will play English country dances popular in the time of Jane Austen, some earlier country dance classics and a number of early 19th century waltzes. All country dances will be briefly taught and called.
There will also be a special performance by the Royal English Opera from the Great Dickens Christmas Fair during the half-time intermission. Like any proper assembly, the ball will provide card tables and instruction in both Whist and the round game of Speculation.
Tickets at the door will be $20. The doors open at 6:45 p.m. and the dancing begins at 8:00 p.m. For more information, go to the ball website, email peers@peers.org or call (510) 522-1731.
Copyright 2013, Jean Martin.
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