Emma

‘Riotously funny… Pickett cleverly reframes the narrative in the present day and within the tight, comic frame of a wedding… Part of the joy of Pickett’s writing is just how good her jokes are… an undertow of deep feeling… It is writing of the highest quality… Jane Austen would be very proud’

* WhatsOnStage *

‘Downright hysterical… Pickett’s script is littered with golden nuggets of comedy… so joyous that maybe even Austen will be laughing in her grave’

* Evening Standard *

‘Very funny… a rip roaring modern update from rising star Ava Pickett’

* Time Out *

‘Astute and laugh-a-minute funny’

* The Stage *

‘An incredibly clever reimagining… some of the best contemporary comedic writing I have ever encountered… had the audience roaring with laughter… a special piece of theatre… a treat to watch from start to finish’

* Theatre & Tonic *

‘A sharp, funny, and thoroughly modern rom-com filled with relatable characters, laugh-out-loud moments, and a heart that beats true to Austen’s original themes’

* All That Dazzles *

‘An exhilarating and clever take on a well-loved story’

* West End Best Friend *

‘Succeeds in spades… take tissues to mop the tears of laughter’

* Reviews Hub *

‘Superb… achingly funny… the writing and the jokes are sublimely good… simply glorious’

* LondonTheatre1 *

‘Fun and relatable, with a plot that would engage students… best suited to Key Stage 4 and above with lots of opportunity for group work and duologues… would also be a great choice for an upper school production. Students will really engage with the fast pace and comedy of this modern take on a classic story, so I would highly recommend it’

* Drama & Theatre Magazine *

Ava Pickett is a writer for theatre, film and television.

Plays:

• The Manningtree Witches (adaptation of A. K. Blakemore’s novel) - Mercury Theatre Colchester & Frantic Assembly, 2026
• Emma (adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel) - Rose Theatre, Kingston, 2025
• 1536 - Almeida Theatre, London, 2025

Awards and Recognition:

• Most Promising Playwright, London Standard Theatre Awards, 2025 (for 1536)
• Most Promising Playwright, Critics’ Circle Theatre Awards, 2026 (for 1536)
• Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, 2024 (for 1536)

Television Credits:

• The Great (co-writer) - Hulu/Channel 4
• Brassic - Sky
• Ten Pound Poms - BBC One

Jane Austen (1775–1817) was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction set among the landed gentry have earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature.