AUSTEN FOUND: THE UNDISCOVERED MUSICALS OF JANE AUSTEN

“ConArtists are consummate performers. They make improv look so easy you’ll think you could get up and give it a go.” Theatreview; Austen Found Review May 09

“OOOOOH MISS ELIZABETH, DO PLEASE PLAY IT AGAIN.”

Addicted to Darcy?  Lost all Sense and Sensibility?  Bonkers for Big Balls?  Well put down your cross-stitching and join 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.

And after a 95% house at the Adelaide Fringe Festival and a completely sold out NZ International Comedy Festival, we politely suggest booking early to ensure our dance card isn’t full.

“Jane Austen would be turning in her grave with delight…Rollicking good fun!” Rip It Up Adelaide

“Improv Comedy at its finest.” Unilife Magazine Adelaide

“Austen Found: The Undiscovered Musicals of Jane Austen is the good pavlova, the one someone has taken a few goes to get just right. The brilliant version.” Waikato Times

Bringing the Bennetts to life will be veteran performer Lori Dungey, world famous Hobbit and one of the founding players of Theatresports in New Zealand.  Lori performs all over the World and has represented both New Zealand and Canada in international tournaments including the World Cup of Theatresports in Germany in 2006 and was victorious in the Improvaganza Masters of the Universe Tournament in Edmonton in 2003.

“Hot Pink” Penny Ashton is a comedienne and actor and has performed both Improv and her solo comedy shows (Hot Pink Bits, Busty Rhymes, Dirty Pink) from New York to Edinburgh to Ashburton.  She too represented NZ at the World Cup in 2006 and at the Improvaganza in 2003 and is a three times Adelaide People’s Choice Award nominee.  She is recently returned from performing her poetry at Glastonbury in the UK and reporting at Miss Universe in Las Vegas.

Nigel Burrows was one of the original members of ConArtists, and therefore brings 22 years of experience to his bulging breeches. Joining him will be Stage Three UNITEC student and High School Theatresports Champ Chris Neels and a charming Christchurch Improviser from the Court Jesters, Kathleen Burns.

Pianoforte virtuoso Robbie Ellis studied at the University of Auckland School of Music, and has worked in a wide range of theatre, from Greek tragedy to stand-up comedy via late Romantic opera and French absurdism. He is an award-winning composer, broadcaster and multi-instrumentalist. As an improv musician he has played in Melbourne and Rotterdam, and with companies around New Zealand.

“The entire cast did a magnificent job of capturing the essence of Jane Austen’s style in their parody without offending ardent fans or losing the enthusiasm of strangers to the genre.” Theatreview, May 2009

“Swept into the fantastically fictional improvised world of “Greed & Generosity”, Jane Austen’s once-lost-but-now-found musical extravaganza, I was particularly impressed…” The Lumiere Reader, May 2009

“Now why didn’t I think of that!” Jane Austen, May 1809

AUSTEN FOUND: THE UNDISCOVERED MUSICALS OF JANE AUSTEN

Herald Theatre, Aotea Centre THE EDGE, October 21 – 31, Tuesday & Wednesday, 7pm Thursday, Friday & Saturday 8pm, Sunday 4pm

Bookings 0800 BUY TICKETS or www.buytickets.co.nz, Service Fees Apply

Full $25, Concession and Groups 6+ $20, Information: www.conartists.co.nz

Jim, Lori & the Cheetah

A few weeks ago, my partner, Jim, and I, went on an Ultimate Animal Encounter, which was an early morning walk with a couple of wild Cheetahs, named Anubis and Osiris.   Our friend, Clare Kelso, who gives countless hours to the zoo, gave us this Encounter as a Christmas present.  We were given it in 2008 so hold the record for the longest time between getting it and using it!

The Auckland Zoo sent us a little kit beforehand – no bright clothing, no jangly jewelry, wide brimmed hats or sunglasses.  Apparently they want to be able to see your eyes and it makes them nervous if you’re wearing sunglasses.  We were more than happy to oblige.  You also have to be 1.3 meters in height or they consider you prey.  So at 8:00am in the morning, before the zoo opened, we gathered for our walk on the wild side.  There was a film crew shooting at the Zoo gates so we had to wait for them to finish a shot before we went in.  Jim was more than happy to chat with a number of the crew he knew from previous shoots.

It was a beautiful sunny day and the zoo was so quiet with no one around.  You could hear the bellow of the lions as they arose and the crowing of the roosters, who run freely around the zoo.  We were welcomed by Elana, who was our guide through- out the entire walk.  We also had a man named Dougal, who was taking the morning off work and a Kiwi keeper with a guest from an American zoo.  Four of us and 2 Cheetahs.   Each Cheetah had a keeper who held onto their leads.

Anubis and Osiris are brothers who couldn’t be less alike.  One is very wary and always on guard while the other took every opportunity to fall down and have a roll around.   They’ve been hand reared but are still wild.  The keepers work hard at building a familial relationship with them where they’re seen as part of the family.

The Cheetah is Africa’s most endangered cat.  Their only asset is that they can run really fast.  But it doesn’t guarantee they’ll hold onto what they catch.  Apparently the bigger cats are prone to stealing their hard won conquests and there’s nothing much they can do.  Their teeth are similar to a Labrador dog.  Isn’t that kooky?  You expect them to have these lethal teeth but they don’t.  They’re lithe looking and have long legs with powerful haunches that give them their explosive running power.  They’re paws are quite dainty and they sort of resemble a large dog/cat.  Every now and then they get a chance to have a big run in the elephant enclosure.  They have to book it and ensure the elephant is out, most likely having a walk around the zoo themselves.

The tour started when we got to the Cheetah enclosure and the keepers were putting their leads on, patting them and letting them lead themselves out into the zoo.   We strolled around the zoo for the next hour and a half, following two wild Cheetahs.  They loved looking at the flamingos and the giraffes were pretty intriguing.  We spent quite some time staring at them.  When we were going past the lions they really hunkered down and looked pretty furtive.  Lions are no friends of theirs and can kill them or steal their catch.  They stopped, stared and their whole body slunk down as they literally crept past.

The Auckland Zoo has tons of wild chickens running around everywhere.   I thought the Cheetahs might think this was easy pickings but they ignored them and just kept going.   We had a long stop at the Orangutan enclosure.  One of the Cheetahs loved watching them and the youngest Orangutan, Madju, put on a defiant show.  He waved his bit of cloth around and taunted the Cheetahs.  He was very cheeky and seemed to have a pretty good idea he was safe.

After that one of them got up on the picnic table and sat down.  It was picture taking time.  Jim and I stood next to Osiris and one at a time patted his fur.  It was quite course and his fur was hot to the touch.  He was also purring very loudly.  It was like a cat purr times 6.  Then he jumped down and on we went.   We got back and the Cheetahs went into their enclosure and had a lovely morning tea.  They started with a bit of frozen rabbit, to give them roughage and ended with some yummy looking raw steaks.  We left them having a good gnaw on bones and went off as the zoo was opening.

Lori Dungey
ConArtists Creative Director