Who knew Jane Austen could be so funny?

Jessica Bedford, Kathryn MacMillan, Charlotte Northeast and Meghan Winch apparently did.

They are the playwrights of “The Complete Works of Jane Austen, Abridged,” in its Lehigh Valley premiere through July 12, PA Shakespeare Festival at DeSales University.

The June 26 opening night performance was seen for this theater review.

The playwrights are self-confessed “Janeites,” devotees of the Jane Austen novels that their fast-paced, wildly-amusing and comedically-charming one-act play satirizes

Bedford directs with a wild abandon three wonderful actors whose improvisational skills are as razor-sharp as the wit in and between the lines of a Jane Austen novel.

The actors Madeleine Garcia (Jessica), Sarah Gliko (Charlotte) and David Pica (Trevor) assay multiple roles in the laugh-riotous comedy that thumbs through the pages of Jane Austen’s well-known works, “Pride and Prejudice,” “Sense and Sensibility” and “Emma,” and lesser-known works.

The literary regard of English novelist Jane Austen (1775-1817) seems to have grown with succeeding generations even though, or perhaps because, shortly before her death at age 41, only four novels she had written before age 22 were published when she was age 35.

These were “Sense and Sensibility” (1811), “Pride and Prejudice” (1813), “Mansfield Park” (1814) and “Emma” (1816).

Published posthumously were “Northanger Abbey” (1818), “Persuasion” (1818) and “Lady Susan” (1871).

“The Complete Works of Jane Austen, Abridged” references, plumbs and spoofs these and refers to Jane Austen’s unfinished and other works, such as “Juvenilia,” Volume the First, and Second” (1787-1793).

“The Complete Works of Jane Austen, Abridged” is by no means vanilla. The 100-minute (by my count) play (with no intermission) is ribald, politically-incorrect (gloriously on purpose) and wink-wink, nudge-nudge to its own madcap sensibility (often nonsensical), the persuasions of the actors (always deliciously in the moment) and the sense of the audience (not to be left out; you may be singled out).

Your introduction to Jane Austen may have been in some dimly-remembered high school or college literature course or viewing one of the some 31 movie adaptations of her novels or movies or TV shows inspired by her novels (among them, “Bridget Jones’ Diary,” 2001; “Clueless,” 1995, and my favorite title, “Pup Fiction,” 1997, an episode on the TV show, “Wishbone,” 1995-1998, starring Soccer the Dog).

You don’t have to be a Janeite to enjoy “The Complete Works of Jane Austen, Abridged.” The concept, in the lovely set by Scenic Designer Gabby S. Tice, with dramatic flourishes by Lighting Designer Lily Fossner and fun script cues by Sound Designer David M. Greenburg, is that of two actors, who are fans of Jane Austen novels, wanting to put on a show when the third actor drops out.

This conceit allows the playwrights to expound, explain and instruct on the joys of Jane. You don’t need to be a Janeite to enjoy the show. The playwrights and, even more so, the actors make sure of that.

“The Complete Works of Jane Austen, Abridged” has the, ahem, “Sense and Sensibility” of sketch-comedy.

It’s difficult to single out one actor over the other in the dynamic three-person ensemble. Each is a master of a thousand facial expressions, dialogue accents and inflections, body language of arms akimbo and legs askance and pratfalls, slapstick and physical comedy aplenty. The wearing of, or doffing of, a hat, provides a lightning round of role changes. Hat’s entertainment.

Madeleine Garcia is a fearless performer whose eyes, voice and body hovers over the proceedings like a Cheshire Cat of comedy. Sarah Gliko is a sly performer who pauses for effect to great effect. David Pica is taken aback without losing composure. Hats off, or on, to this trio of mirth.

“The Complete Works of Jane Austen, Abridged” provides the theater-goer with a new appreciation of Jane Austen or a renewed appreciation of Jane Austen. You don’t need to read a Jane Austen novel before you see the play. You may want read a Jane Austen novel after you see the play. It’s not “Abridged” too far.

“The Complete Works of Jane Austen, Abridged,” 7:30 p.m. June 24, 25, 26, July 2, 3, 8, 9, 10; 2 p.m., 7:30 p.m. June 27, July 1, 11; 2 p.m. June 28, July 4, 5, 8, 12; 6:30 p.m. June 30, July 7, PA Shakespeare Festival, Schubert Theatre, Labuda Center for the Performing Arts, DeSales University, 2755 Station Avenue, Center Valley.

Meet the actors for a talk-back after July 2 and July 9 performances.

An audio-described for the blind or visually-impaired performance is 2 p.m. July 11.

“Epilogues,” a free discussion and a behind-the-scenes look at the production, is 10 a.m. July 11.

Tickets: 610-282-9455, https://pashakespeare.org/