Staged to celebrate Jane Austen's 250th birthday, creative director Sallyanne Scotton Moonga’s stage adaptation of Jane Austen's classic gothic parody was extremely well received during its run at Warners Bay Theatre, baramayiba in October 2025 in collaboration with Lake Mac Arts.
Catherine Morland, a heroine-in-training with a head full of Gothic novels, goes to Bath looking for love and possibly a sinister mystery or two. Armed with wide-eyed innocence and a flair for the dramatic, Catherine soon finds herself swept up in society balls, flirtations, and the thrilling social maze of polite society. When she’s invited to the mysterious Northanger Abbey, her imagination kicks into overdrive, seeing secrets and shadows around every corner. Will Catherine find a real hero amongst the lurking darkness, or become ensnared in the tangled web of society?
Click to read Northanger Abbey Review - An Austen Classic, Reborn
"By masterfully breathing fresh new life into this lesser-known classic novel, Sallyanne and her incredibly talented cast have delivered a thoroughly enjoyable and memorable performance."
Catherine Morland and Emily St Aubert. Image credit Neil Keene, Lake Macquarie City Council
Emily St Aubert. Image credit Neil Keene, Lake Macquarie City Council
John Thorpe and Catherine Morland. Image credit Neil Keene, Lake Macquarie City Council
Henry Tilney and Catherine Morland. Image credit Neil Keene, Lake Macquarie City Council.
Catherine Morland and Henry Tilney. Image credit Neil Keene, Lake Macquarie City Council
Catherine Morland.
Henry Tilney
Captain Frederick Tilney
John Thorpe and Catherine Morland
Isabella Thorpe
Emily St Aubert
Catherine Morland and Emily St Aubert
Shadow Play
Shadow Play
Opening
Closing
Cast
Catherine Morland - Isabella O'Brien
Emily St Aubert - Lilly Dougherty
Isabella Thorpe/Eleanor Tilney - Jamahla Barron
Mrs Allen/Mrs Morland - Tracey Gordon
Henry Tilney/James Morland - Joel Latham
John Thorpe/Captain Tilney - Will Cesista
Mr Allen/General Tilney - Peter Vernon
Crew
Writer/Director - Sallyanne Scotton Moonga
Stage Manager/Production Assistant - Brooke Charlton
Costume Manager - Peta-Elliotte Green
Hair Design - Ralf Jorg
Original Music - Rob Scotton
Set Design - Sallyanne Scotton Moonga
Set Construction - Catherine Scotton and Rob Scotton
Shadow Puppetry – Ricky Moonga and Sallyanne Scotton Moonga
Lighting Design – Lyndon Buckley