Part 15: Austen
In the 15th of our series of articles describing how one couple finds their new life in Rye, they attend the very last event of this year’s Rye Arts Festival.
‘Austentatious’
Let us not be under any illusions: whatever the subject of these articles – wine, food, music, art, theatre, literature – there are no pretensions to expertise.
This series is very much a personal journey. Along the way, we hope to provide a little light entertainment, wrapped around some useful information for people visiting or living in Rye and its hinterland.
For my partner and myself, it doesn’t get much more personal than Jane Austen. In the early days of our relationship, we discovered that we shared a love of her works and their screen adaptations. So when a friend persuaded us to give our wedding a theme, we turned to the Regency period for the venue, outfits, music and so on.
Given all this, having seen half-a-dozen different events at the 2017 Rye Arts Festival, what better way for us to conclude the festivities than attendance at the very last item in the programme: “Austentatious”?
We were familiar with this group from a BBC Radio 4 special, marking the bicentenary of Austen’s death. We also knew that they’d been a sell-out at the Edinburgh Fringe.
And now we could see them live in Rye.
What’s the plot?
Here’s how it works. As you enter the theatre, you’re given a programme and a small slip of paper resembling the blank front cover of a Penguin Classic. All you have to do is invent a lost Austen novel and write the title of it on the paper, then pop the paper into a hat.
The company then chooses one of the titles as the basis of their improvised Jane Austen novel.
There are eight comic actors in the company, and their combined CVs make impressive reading with performances in Harry & Paul, Peep Show, Girlfriends, Have I Got News For You, QI, Anti-Social Network, Monkey Toast, The IT Crowd and so on. Your funny bone is in safe hands.
A non-review
As we’re talking comedy-improv, there’s obviously no point providing a detailed review, as the next performance will be entirely different. Though I suspect that, as in Austen’s novels, the major themes will be fairly consistent – love and marriage, class and money.
Trust us though, if you get the chance, see Austentatious for a good hour of energetic, witty, and hearty fun.
For the performance we saw, the improvised novel was on the subject of time and place. This morphed into the near-farcical tale of a young heiress sent from London to the country for the good of her health, only to find that she is totally allergic to a rural environment.
The actors raided the store of stock characters: the young, charming doctor (without fortune); the foolish and unappealing aristocrat (with an enormous fortune); the scheming parents marrying off their daughter.
So far, so Austen-pastiche. But for reasons which still elude me, one of the characters assumed the persona of footballer John Terry. This was quite hilarious, but given the references to racist slurs, philandering and corruption, I hope the company has a good lawyer!
The craft at work
Quick-fire humour is enjoyable in itself. But at a performance such as Austentatious, you have the privilege of watching comic actors riffing, ad-libbing, disrupting, corpsing, and generally having to keep their wits about them – as much as their wit.
As with the other events we’ve seen, the hall was packed and everyone seemed to thoroughly enjoy the show at the Rye Community Centre. There was a more than adequate bar, and even some merchandise for sale after the show.
If you can’t wait for the possibility that Austenatious may return for next year’s Arts Festival, you can catch them in London.
Photos: library image and courtesy Austentatious