Austen Found: The Undiscovered Musicals of Jane Austen
Addicted to Darcy? Lost all Sense and Sensibility? Bonkers for Big Balls? Well put down your cross-stitching and join with Auckland’s Leading Improv Troupe, ConArtists, as they swoon, romp, and pianoforte their way through an entirely improvised Austenian Musical. Charming suitors, meddlesome mothers, tight breeches and surprisingly well educated girls will all paint a vivid picture in song, dance and passionate hand holding. Starring Penny Ashton, Lori Dungey, Stayci Taylor, Lucy Schmidt and Robbie Ellis.
“…they make improv look so easy you’ll think you could get up and give it a go.” theatreview.org.nz
Upcoming Seasons:
Whakatane, February 18th
Hamilton Gardens Summer Festival, Feb 21tst 2pm and 6pm, and 22nd 7pm 2010, Victorian Rose Conservatory. Book at TICKETEK.
Adelaide Fringe Festival, Feb 26th – March 14th, Higher Ground Studio, 6.15pm, Book 1300 FRINGE
Hastings Opera House, April 2010
STAMP season at the Herald Theatre, Auckland, October 2010
Austen Found; Full English; A Guide To The Uncool
Comedy Festival 2009
Reviewed by Sums Selvarajan
WATCHING Austen Found (The Drake, May 7-27) was more about appeasing my curiosity than anything else. Having been introduced to Jane Austen in college and not being that avid a fan of musicals, I was rather keen to see how an improv comedy take on the two would pan out. The intimate setting of The Drake along with the polished talents of ConArtist’s Penny Ashton, Greg Cooper, Lori Dungey, Stacyi Taylor, Nigel Burrows and Ross Devereux heralded more than a pleasant surprise. Swept into the fantastically fictional improvised world of “Greed & Generosity”, Jane Austen’s once-lost-but-now-found musical extravaganza, I was particularly impressed at how Andrew Herby-Bottom (Cooper) managed to work in Simon and Garfunkel’s ‘Cecilia’ when disingenuously ballading about the protagonist, Ms Cecillia Gardener to her bon-bon crazed mother. The incongruous hilarity of the YMCA human-alphabets in a period ballroom dance also bear mention. Even if musicals and the country living in the Regency period isn’t your thing, Austin Found is well worth a watch. I for one think my aversion to musicals just might be cured.