One of my favorite books of all time is “Emma” by Jane Austen. It is the book that introduced me to the magic of Austen. I read it this past summer, and the excellent writing and world-building really did make me feel like Hartfield and Donwell Abbey were familiar places. So, when I found out The Barnstormers (the oldest and largest student-run theatre group at Hopkins) were putting on “Emma,” I knew I needed to go watch.
Left image: Reading “Emma” (a special Penguin Clothbound classics edition + a beautiful bookmark my first-year roommate at Hopkins gifted me). Right image: A sign for the play outside Arellano Theatre.
The Barnstormers put on “Emma” as their main fall 2025 play, and I arrived at the Arellano Theatre at Hopkins to a packed audience. Even reading the book and watching a movie adaptation could not have prepared me for how great a show I was in for. It was a professional production with a beautiful set. The book is about Emma Woodhouse, who in the words of Austen herself was “handsome, clever and rich, with a comfortable home and a happy disposition,” and how she considers herself a masterful matchmaker for all her friends.
First-year student Hannah Girges seemed to really understand the eponymous protagonist and conveyed her every line with the same confidence, mischief, and heart that I daresay Austen intended. She was complemented by Simone Outstacher’s Harriet Smith and Tessa Barcelo’s Mr. Knightley. Before watching the show, I wondered how the cast would dramatically enact the characters’ interpersonal relationships (since most of the book is just dialogue and dinner parties). Outstacher and Barcelo amazed me with their recreations of the iconic characters, including brilliant use of the stage space and passionate monologues. There was not a moment of the show that wasn’t enlivened by their perfect recreations of Emma’s two closest friends.
Each member of the cast (consisting of Audrey Kertscher, Pauline Ngigi, Jenna Xue, Sara Pantoja, Ryan Garza, Vasilios Pappas Van de Verg and Celina Stodder) brought something unique and memorable to the show. Whether it was Mr. Elton’s Shakespearean verses or Mr. Woodhouse’s love of gruel, the ensemble cast really made it a play to remember.
The play stayed true to its source material while bringing humor and subtle themes that resonated with audiences of today. Orchestral renditions of pop songs and a spontaneous dinner party dance break really added fun and action to the show. Moreover, it was commendable that they added themes surrounding the importance of women’s education. Emma is well educated, but she does not consider doing anything with that knowledge for most of the play. The turning point comes with the addition of a monologue that was Jo March-esque in the best way, wherein Emma questions “Why have I been given a mind just to waste it?” The play ended with Emma becoming a teacher (a deviation from the source material—but I loved it!) but still mischievously pledging a donation to the girls’ school on Mr. Knightley’s behalf without telling him.
I absolutely loved when the actors broke the fourth wall and interacted with the audience. I’ll probably always remember when Emma pointed to me and asked me why I hadn’t warned her of Mr. Elton’s intentions and said that my expressions made it seem as though I had read the plot summary. If by reading the plot summary, she meant reading and annotating the book, she would have been absolutely right. The show was so beautifully put on that my excitement must have been palpably visible throughout.
The amount of energy, passion, and love that everyone involved (from the actors to the directors and producers to the large crew) had put into this show was visible through every second of the show. They did an excellent job paying homage to Jane Austen in the 250th year since her birth. I highly recommend going to a Barnstormer’s show at least once during your time at Hopkins; I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
