2014 Chortle Award for Best Character, Improv or Sketch Act
Austentatious (An Improvised Jane Austen Novel) is a long-form improvised comedy show, in the style of a Jane Austen novel, where each show is improvised by a six-strong cast, based on a title suggested by a member of the audience. Beginning in 2011 in London,[1] the original cast members took the show to the Edinburgh FestivalFree Fringe in the summer of 2012. Following their initial success, they began performing a monthly show in London, transferring to the West End in 2017, and have since performed on BBC Radio 4, on tour, and at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Since November 2022, Austentatious has been performed weekly at the Arts Theatre in the West End. After a winter break over December 2022, the Monday evening performances resumed in February 2023 and ran until December 2023.
The show has since announced a renewed residency at the Arts Theatre, starting in late January 2024, scheduled until late July 2024.
The cast of a performance of Austentatious in October 2023.
Austentatious was originally formed by members of The Oxford Imps and has gained and lost members since 2011. The 9 current members perform six at a time and include:
At the beginning of the show, audience members are asked to suggest a title in the 'style' of Jane Austen; past titles have included Bath to the Future (referencing both the city of Bath and the Back to the Future film), Mansfield Shark (a pun on Austen's book Mansfield Park), Strictly Come Darcy (referring to the television show Strictly Come Dancing and Austen's character Mr. Darcy), and Shelves In The Closet (a reference to Elizabeth Bennet's line in Pride and Prejudice).[4][5][6]
A gift box given to VIP seating at the Arts Theatre containing Austentatious merchandise and memorabilia.
A title is then selected from the audience submissions and plot, setting, and characters are subsequently improvised on-stage by all six cast members, accompanied by similarly improvised live music and lighting. Live musicians differ from performance to performance, but frequently include a keyboardist or violin player. The cast members perform in Regency costume using tropes associated with Austen's work, other works of the period, and modern adaptations. The chosen title is also likely to influence the story, so, for example, Strictly Come Darcy may feature ballroom dancing in the plot.
In keeping with their namesake, the cast frequently depict and set the show in the Home Counties and often use other tropes and themes from Austen works.
The Austentatious stage pre-performance in June 2023, showing the regal backdrop and wooden chairs.
As of 2023, residency performances see the stage dressed with a 19th centuryManor house style backdrop and four wooden chairs. The sides of the stage are filled with costumes and props of the 'Austen' period that cast use throughout the show, including bonnets, mobcaps, and shawls.
Austentatious was performed at the Queen's Reading Room Festival at Hampton Court Palace on 11 June 2023. Queen Camilla herself chose the title of Persuasion and an Odd Occasion for the performance.[7]
History
Origin
Four of the original six members of the cast, Cooke-Hodgson, Morpurgo, Murray and Parris had been members of The Oxford Imps whilst studying in Oxford and wanted to explore long-form improvised comedy. Parris and Cooke-Hodgson originated the idea of a Jane Austen themed show, and together with fellow improvisers Lloyd and Dickson, then began performing Austentatious together.[1][8]
Early success
After initial performances in London in 2011, the original cast performed the show at the 2012 Free Fringe, receiving positive reviews and sell-out crowds.[9][10]
Following this success they continued to perform across the UK, adding Roberts and Gittins to the cast. They began a regular monthly show in London, initially at the Leicester Square Theatre and have returned to the Edinburgh Fringe annually, selling out the show every year from 2014 to 2018. In 2013 The Guardian's review gave the show four stars and described it as "one of the most enjoyable 60 minutes on the fringe".[11]
In 2014 the show won the Chortle Award for Best Character, Improv or Sketch Act.[12][8]
West End transfer
They transferred to the Piccadilly Theatre for a West End run in 2017, and have since performed in a number of West End venues, adding Shearing to the cast, including the Fortune Theatre from February 2019.[13][14] They have performed two 30-minute shows on BBC Radio 4,[15][16][17] and have performed in McEwan Hall, the largest space at the festival, during the Fringe.[18]
A further residency at the Fortune Theatre was announced for February to July 2020.[19] The residency was cut short after West End theatres shut as part of the COVID-19 lockdown. On 29 August 2020, they performed a one-off outdoor show in Streatham.[20]
From November 2022, the show has occupied a weekly residency at the Arts Theatre that ran throughout 2023 with a summer break. This residency was extended from January 2024 to July 2024.
