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Event Details
Saturday 14 June
2pm
4pm
Sunday 15 June
2pm
4pm
Venue: The Chatsworth Theatre
Price: £45 per person, includes garden entry and access to Celebrating Jane Austen
Mr Wickham is ready to set the record straight.
Celebrating the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen's birth, Adrian Lukis, who starred in the renowned BBC TV adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, returns to the role of Mr Wickham.
Join Pride and Prejudice’s most roguish gentleman, George Wickham, on the eve of his sixtieth birthday, to lift the lid on exactly what happened thirty years on from where we left him… And discover his own version of some very famous literary events.
What really happened with Darcy…?
What did he feel about Lizzie…?
What happened at Waterloo? Not to mention Byron…
This live one-man show comes to Chatsworth following a hit run in London and New York.
The show running time is 60 minutes, followed by a 30-minute Q&A session with Adrian Lukis. Suitable for children aged 8+ years.
About The Chatsworth Theatre
Chatsworth's Theatre is accessed through the garden, via entrance doors next to the Orangery Gift Shop. View Map.
Accessibility
Unfortunately, this venue is not suitable for those with limited mobility as it can only be accessed via several flights of steep stairs.
If you require an essential carer ticket, please email [email protected]. Please review the eligibility criteria here.
Celebrating Jane Austen
Your performance ticket includes access to the Chatsworth Garden and our Celebrating Jane Austen event (13-15 June).
About the show
Presented by Original Theatre
Performed by Adrian Lukis
Written by Adrian Lukis
Directed by Guy Unsworth
‘A fine one-man show’ ★★★★ The Sunday Times
‘A requiem for a rogue’ ★★★★ Daily Mail
‘The chance to spend an hour in the company of Lukis’ Wickham is all the fun you’d hope it would be’ ★★★★★ The Reviews Hub
'A charming and captivating hour spent with the old rogue' ★★★★★ Broadway World
"What happens to a rake when he can't rake anymore?"
An insight from Adrian Lukis on Being Mr Wickham:
I wrote the play when I turned 60, and I thought “oh God” as everything starts groaning, your knees, your feet. I’d had this idea of exploring something to do with Wickham, I’d written another show called An Evening with Jane Austen which was a collection of readings with music but I wanted to take it further and I had this light-bulb moment where I thought “what would George Wickham feel like when he got to 60?”. He was a cad, someone who relies on his looks, his charm and his personality to make his way in the world and he’s played those cards. Where would he have ended up? What happens to rakes when they can’t rake anymore?
Abridged from an interview with Adrian Lukis, April 2021
Celebrating Jane Austen
13 - 15 June
A Regency themed weekend of talks, tours, and special moments as we celebrate 250 years since the birth of Jane Austen.
Being Mr Wickham...
14 & 15 June 2025
Adrian Lukis reprises the role of Jane Austen's most lovable rogue, Mr Wickham from the 1995 BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, for a live one man show in the Chatsworth Theatre.
Summer Pride & Prejudice Ball
14 June
A Regency themed ball inspired by Pride & Prejudice.
Regency Afternoon Tea
13, 14 & 15 June
A Regency inspired afternoon tea served in the 4th Duke's Glasshouse, including access to the garden.
Austen Embroidery Workshop
13, 14 & 15 June
Join Derbyshire embroidery artist, Abigail Rose Creative, to create a bespoke Chatsworth inspired design celebrating 250 years since the birth of Jane Austen.
Sense & Sensibility - The Musical
16 August
Experience a musical retelling of Jane Austen's classic story, Sense and Sensibility.
Pride & Prejudice Ball
12 & 19 December
Don gowns and breeches for an evening inspired by Jane Austen's classic novel.
Stay with us
Whether bug hunting in Stand Wood, cycling on the Tissington Trail, or hitching a ride on a historic steam engine, Chatsworth and the Peak District are a dream destination for an unforgettable family escape. Find a stay with us in a cottage, shepherd’s hut, inn or hotel.
