Dance scenes filmed at Penshurst Place

The 2026 adaptation of Sense and Sensibility features dance scenes filmed at Penshurst Place, with Daisy Edgar-Jones and Esmé Creed-Miles portraying Elinor and Marianne Dashwood. Directed by Georgia Oakley, the film emphasizes the sisters’ bond and diverges from previous versions by highlighting their emotional journeys over romantic subplots.

Dance Scenes and Filming Locations

The 2026 adaptation of Sense and Sensibility includes a notable dance scene filmed at Penshurst Place, a historic estate in Kent, England. The BBC reported that the scene featured Daisy Edgar-Jones as Elinor Dashwood, Esmé Creed-Miles as Marianne, and other cast members including Caitríona Balfe and Fiona Shaw. The choice of Penshurst Place aligns with the film’s emphasis on the Dashwood sisters’ social interactions and the Regency-era setting.

The party scenes at Penshurst also include Frank Dillane as John Willoughby and Herbert Nordrum as Colonel Brandon, as noted in the BBC report. These scenes highlight the film’s focus on the Dashwood family’s social dynamics, including the interactions between the sisters and their suitors. The film’s director, Georgia Oakley, emphasized the importance of these sequences in conveying the characters’ relationships, as stated in a review from Brit + Co.

Director’s Vision and Cast Dynamics

Director Georgia Oakley and screenwriter Diana Reid aimed to differentiate their adaptation from the 1995 version by focusing on the Dashwood sisters’ relationship rather than their romantic entanglements. The film highlights the sisters’ true heart and love story, as noted by Edgar-Jones, with a narrative that prioritizes their emotional resilience and sisterly bond over traditional romance tropes.

Critical Reception and Historical Context

Despite this, the film’s focus on the sisters’ emotional journeys resonated with audiences. PureWow emphasized that the film’s most passionate scenes are between Elinor and Marianne, with their steadfast, intimate relationship taking precedence over romantic subplots. Yahoo’s review described the film as a beautiful exploration of sisterhood, with the Dashwood sisters’ resilience and creativity shining through in their efforts to navigate societal constraints.

Release and Audience Reaction

The film premiered in theaters on October 15, 2026, in New Zealand, as confirmed by Andrew Whiteside’s website. The release date was chosen to align with the autumnal tone of the story, as noted by Yahoo, which stated, The story’s always been autumnal to me, so October is the perfect month for its release. This timing was also praised by critics for enhancing the film’s mood and visual aesthetic.

Photo: Yahoo

Audience reactions were mixed, with some praising the film’s raw and grounded approach and others finding the dance sequences out of place in the Regency-era context.

The film’s cast received widespread acclaim, with Daisy Edgar-Jones and George MacKay particularly highlighted for their performances. Edgar-Jones expressed her enthusiasm for the adaptation, stating, I think we get to see a lot more of Edward and Elinor, which I really love. This sentiment was echoed by critics, who praised the chemistry between the leads and the depth of their characters.

Production Details and Industry Context

The film’s runtime of 132 minutes allowed for a detailed exploration of the characters’ arcs, as noted by Andrew Whiteside’s website.

The film’s release came over 30 years after the 1995 adaptation, which remains a beloved classic. Georgia Oakley’s version aimed to offer a fresh perspective while respecting Austen’s original themes. As noted in a review from Brit + Co, the film finds room for Austen’s more comedic flourishes, including the playful banter between the sisters and the sly digs at high society.

The film’s focus on the Dashwood sisters’ relationship was a key departure from previous adaptations. As highlighted in Andrew Whiteside’s website, the film is a great story about love, prejudice and disappointment, with the sisters’ bond serving as the emotional core. This approach was praised by critics, who noted that the film renders their story with a melancholy romanticism, balancing humor and tragedy in a way that felt both modern and faithful to the source material.