I went to see Austentatious on Monday 15th May at The Arts Theatre in London. Austentatious is an improvised play in the style of Jane Austen playing at the Arts theatre every Monday until mid June.
I have always been a bit cautious of improvised pieces as they can often be disjointed, confusing and a bit of a muddle however this has completely changed my mind. The show was sensational, the way the actors play off just a title suggested by an audience member and turn it into a 90 minute play is incredible. They each come up with ideas and everyone fully commits and joins in, it was amazing to see it done so seamlessly having some experience in improvised acting. If any of you have been to drama school you’ll know how fun it can be but also how much of a disaster it normally turns out to be.
The show has a cast of just 6 actors along with a musician and technician which are following the actors leads also improvising. Before the show begins they ask a couple of audience members to come on stage and arrange the furniture and props however they want. Then as the show starts they ask for made up Jane Austen novel titles that they can base the improv off. Some examples include: Bennet Like Beckham, Tent and tent stability, Mansplain Park, the title for our performance was Dungeons and Darceys: Bonnets among thieves.
So much happened in the show: love stories, business deals, fashion disasters, a poetry competition with a full rap in French, that was my favourite part. The beauty of improvised pieces is every show is different and you never know what you’ll get, you could see this show 5 times and you’d get 5 different shows, I for sure am tempted to go back!
If you’re a Jane Austen fan this is a must but for those like myself who know nothing about Jane Austen you will also have a fabulous time. Arrive early and get yourself a Jane Austen cocktail at the bar and the take your seat for 90 minutes full of laughs and who knows what else, the only way to find out if to book your tickets and go watch.
For more information please visit https://www.austentatiousimpro.com