IF you have ever wondered how Jane Austen's witty romances would work in the world of Snapchat and Twitter, you are not the only one.

A theatre company is bringing the classic author's stories up to date with a comic production called Thrills and Quills at Padgate Library.

The play, by professional performers from LipService, looks at the importance of letters in romance novels and imagines how Austen would have used social media.

The show is part of a season of events at the library to mark 200 years since Austen's death in Hampshire in 1817 at the age of 41.

A traditional writing bureau will also be installed at the Insall Road centre from September 25 to 27.

Visitors will be invited to sit down and put pen to paper as part of a project called The Travelling Letter Exchange.

Everyone who writes a letter will receive a letter in return from another person taking part in the scheme and a selection of the best will be published in a special ebook.

Chris Everett, senior LiveWire advisor for reading, said: “Jane Austen may be famous for writing some of our most celebrated classic novels, but many people don’t know about her prolific letter writing.

“Her letters documented everyday life in the 1800s and give us a real insight into, not only what life was like back then, but also what peoples’ passions and interests were.

“In today’s digital world, where we can have instant contact with someone on the other side of world via the internet, this is an invitation to take a leaf out of Jane Austen’s book - sit back, reflect and write a letter that may be cherished for years to come.”

Thrills and Quills will be performed on October 6 at 7pm and for more information visit livewirewarrington.co.uk/library.