Austentatious
Austen improv is a big hit at the Playhouse
I’m a big fan of improv comedy and I’m a big fan of curling up with a good old fashioned Jane Austin novel, but I couldn’t really get my head around the prospect of seeing the two merged. It became clear that I was in for a real treat from the moment I entered the theatre. I was greeted by a dashing Mr. Darcy-esque man with a blank front cover for a Jane Austen Novel on which to write my own suggestion for the play. The title was chosen from a top hat full of audience suggestions, and without further ado the exceptional cast went to work on their very own take on “Hedonistic Desperation”. Each character emerged organically and effortlessly as the actors bounced off each other's energies; the speed and seamlessness of the dialogues and scene changes were literally astounding.
As the story developed the laugher was uncontrollable, not only from the audience but the off stage cast members were in hysterics as the lowly housemaid Maria assisted the lord of the manor by squeezing the udders of Nelly the cow as he lay underneath them to get his fill of milk “straight from the source!”
Austentatious have created a unique, perfectly sculpted,dynamic improvised performance of an exceptionally high standard. To top it all off, upon meeting and greeting the cast after the show I found them all insanely modest and completely lovely; come back to Norwich soon!
