Austen Found…The Tour
Despite the inclement weather, our travel chests shall be packed and loaded onto our barouche for the impeding, perilous journey to Bath.
Alternately, we’ll be squishing into Penny’s car for a 4-hour drive to Whakatane for the premiere of ConArtists’ first all female cast in ‘Austen Found: The undiscovered Musicals of Jane Austen’. This is an entirely improvised musical in the style of Jane Austen and, hopefully, true to the Regency Period. It’s also the beginning of a thrilling road trip.
After Whakatane, it’s off to the Hamilton Garden Festival (Feb 21 & 22) to perform in a beautiful conservatory that is ludicrously perfect for our Regency romp. You could just imagine Jane Austen fingering the pianoforte or eating a strawberry off the vine. We are going to look as cute as a half crown in our floral regency gowns and bonnets. We even made the bonnets ourselves with the help of a U-Tube instructional. U-Tube has everything! I burned my fingers on the glue gun more times then you could say “I will not raise any outcry; I will keep my ill humor to myself.” (Emma)
Then we’re leaving on a jet plane for the Adelaide Fringe Festival for 3 weeks. I hope the glue doesn’t melt in the Adelaide heat or we’re all in big trouble. This will be an exercise in patience as our four women and one man cast live in a 2-bedroom motel. Robbie, our token male, is a brilliant muso who improvises like a dream. Then there’s Stayci, Lucy and Penny. Penny has been the stalwart, doing all the hard work and putting all the pieces together. She’s been a solo performer for years so I think she’s delirious with joy that she’s finally got mates to play and perform with. It’s tough being the only one handing out your flyers.
I snore a little so that will be a challenge for her as well. We’re bunking together. Our ticket sales are at 36% so we’re pretty pleased by that. There’s a Jane Austen Club in Adelaide who have got their tickets and dance cards ready. Bless.
We’ve been enormously girly swat about this production. We rehearse conscientiously, trotting out all the various characters that Jane Austen has created. We’ve worked on the language of the time, our knowledge of history and manners and the various modes of transport, dress and what they ate. I’d love to sample some Jugged Hare, Beetroot Pancakes and Stuffed Boars Head though I could happily pass on the Blue cheese with Maggots.
We’ve watched every version of Emma, Mansfield Park, Northanger Abbey, Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility. I am slowly making my way through the novels. I am currently reading “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-smith. In this novel version, Elizabeth Bennet of Hertfordshire has a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, as well as the weaponry of Europe and the fighting styles of the Kyoto Masters. She’s a Zombie slayer and these undead, who have been afflicted by a mysterious plague, are bringing mayhem to the quiet English countryside. It’s hysterical.
Lori Dungey
ConArtists Creative Director
Music is something that is beyond human characteristic likings and dislikings. It is liked by every one though its genre can be different. Some may like the classical music style or to some hip hop and rock style would be worth making a choice. Besides these there are several genres & different artist are available.