[Apology, it is totally my fault this is published late – JS, Ed]

Penny Ashton brought her first show to Hamilton Gardens at an arts festival 21 years ago and continues with her brand of vitality and sauciness in this revival of a crowd favourite. Based on the theatre sports protocol of devising theatre from prompts from the audience, Ashton’s troupe takes it all beyond the short life of sketch comedy by turning it into an hour-long play. This time, with the addition of music and song.

All theatre is risky, relying upon the skill of performers and suspended disbelief of the audience. But theatre which makes itself up as it goes along must be doubly risky. Ashton and her performance partner Lori Dungey, fluidly supported by Greg Ward on keyboards, waft through their instant creation with only a selection of bonnets, shawls and chairs to indicate changes of character and scene. In retrospect it is clever and brave but at the time they are simply ridiculously funny in their presentation of a musical piece of mayhem.

Before the action begins some written texts suggesting sins or outcomes for characters have been solicited from the audience, and placed within a three-cornered military hat to be produced later. Then the audience is invited to suggest places, actions, even animals and, having been invited to make up our own character names from a first name for a member of any royal family, a pet’s name and the suffix, Bottom, the best is selected to use for our heroine.

Margaret Muckle-Bottom is approaching the venerable age of 22 and is still unmarried. Her desperate mother tries to encourage her interest in finding a husband and source of security but Margaret is much more interested in pursuing her musicality, with a touch of mayhem. So far, so Austen.

Margaret and her mother sing about this quandary at the grave of the departed father (tick, graveyard). Then, after an unpleasant encounter with Edward Hamilton, the squire of Hamiltonshire, a gruff, decidedly unmusical, brutish character (Dungey in a neck-kerchief), Margaret amuses herself with learning to dance a country ritual (tick, maypole).

Edward might be without charm but he is not without resources and announces that he is to host a ball, a large ball at his mansion, The Tongue of the Dog (tick, monument). This name is a great example of the perils of calling for input from locals as the actors had no idea it is the name if a Michael Parekowhai sculpture and fountain which stands in the main street of Hamilton at the top if the stairs leading to the museum. But in the rules of the game, they go with this title and work it into the story with great invention.

So much of the humour derives from the awkwardness of squeezing the audience suggestions into a lengthy format whilst maintaining energy and some kind of continuity. This the performers do admirably, displaying a wide range of vocal skill and ability to rhyme appallingly on the spot.

With the help of a couple of male audience participants and Ward’s deft keyboard skills, they embark on a charming Regency country dance sequence. One of the ring-ins is surely a plant, dressed in knickerbockers and hose with a fetching striped waistcoat over a dazzling stiff white shirt. The other is a complete unknown – a Mr Woolly, in black tee shirt, khaki shorts and sandals, who becomes central to the love story as he wins the heart of our heroine and is forced in his knees to ask for her hand.

In this style of devised drama the tension between the stage and audience is fully broken down and the actors remark, in the gorgeous setting of the English Flower garden, looking at the brick bower that serves as the Muckle-Bottoms’ home, that it doesn’t even have a fourth wall.

The entire English Flower Garden at Hamilton Gardens allows for perambulations, ruminations and deviations. There’s even a chase scene as a rabid meerkat (tick, animal) adds to the mayhem. It’s a perfect setting for a summer evening’s entertainment and these entertainers somehow manage to celebrate Jane Austen’s gentle and polite world, even as they parody it.

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Bouncy bosom-bumps all round – Austen Found is a superbly well-developed, outstanding triumph! 

Acclaimed improvisors Penny Ashton and Lori Dungey have been playfully exploiting Jane Austen (and delighting her fans) for so many years that the period is second nature to them now, so their spontaneous creation of a musical parody of her typical plots, characters, and manners works a treat. Certainly, this audience in the Regent’s intimate Clarkson Studio rates Dance and Destruction, invented just for us, a howling success.

Under the auspices of Arts on Tour, the company is heroically touring the whole of Aotearoa, hence the travelling set beneath the chandeliers could not be simpler – screen, rug, blackboard for the audience’s contributions, and a hatstand for the spare costumes, plus Empire gowns on the ladies, demure pink and blue with absurd coal-scuttle bonnets over two insanely expressive faces.

Jamie Burgess, the marvellously adept accompanist, swans in demanding our willing applause and commandeers the keyboard, while “authentically” red-haired Ashton takes charge of the audience in brisk schoolmarm fashion. “What’s going on at the back? Shush!” – later threatening a thrashing for a wretch who has forgotten to turn off their device. We are invited to discover our own Austen names (royalty plus pet plus of course, bottom) and “Elizabeth Thumper-Bottom” is chosen for the heroine. 

The alliterative title is plucked at random from Austen’s Collected Works, and local interest is secured by asking for “Dunedinshire” place names, of which the most intriguing is our very own Harbour Molars, puzzling to the out-of-towners. These, with a few other suggestions including an animal (we pick a penguin) are written on the blackboard, so we will have the cruel amusement of watching the actors struggle to incorporate all.

Sensibly, there is a basic structure to the improvised show, just as the old Commedia Dell Arte troupes would establish, with certain stock characters and possibly a few set speeches, but all these Austen Found cunningly concocted stories are dictated by Austen’s own plots – heroine is being pushed to marry, meets hero and dislikes him, but after further encounters, including at least one ball, an understanding is reached and a romantic proposal at last accepted. Simple.

Not so simple to decide on the scenes and write an entertaining script on the spot, let alone include songs that advance the action and actually rhyme, but Ashton and Dungey rise to the challenge with supreme confidence and skill. Flipping a coin, they settle on Ashton as perky heroine Elizabeth Thumper-Bottom, meaning versatile Dungey will valiantly take on Mama, like Mrs Bennet anxious to marry off her daughter, little sister Gardenia with butterfly net and lisp, rich best friend Cecily by Chalmers Lake, Vicar McShortbread of St Paul’s Cathedral, and inevitably, Edward Octagon, the yet-to-be-recognised hero, who has taken up residence in Molar Manor.

Burgess is kept in the picture, generously included in the saucy puns and double entendres, from turning on microphones to preparing fingering, but he really comes into his own when the actors burst into song. There are six hilarious musical numbers in our Dance and Destruction, including a duet battle between mother and daughter on the virtues and vices of Dance, a rousing Agent of Destruction number with a Bang Bang Pop chorus when Octagon’s flaw is revealed to be a tendency to blow things up, an ingeniously executed hymn in which Ashton and Dungey try frantically to guess what invented line the other is about to sing, and a sweetly wistful torch-song, Elizabeth’s solo when she falls in love.

There are many delightful serendipitous moments as these clever actors interpret the narrative, seizing on every opportunity for irony and naughty innuendo (though a favourite of mine is Ashton’s surprisingly lyrical description of Molar Manor, slightly decayed and with floss hanging from the windows), but of course in improv it will not work every time, and much of the fun comes from watching the actors’ frenetic attempts to rescue a scene. 

Luckily there is really no such thing as a spoiler when reviewing improvised performance, because any scene less than successful – tonight, for instance, the domestic servants seemed to function merely for the sake of the spotted dick – will no doubt work beautifully at the next show. For Dungey and Ashton are separately skilled practitioners who together make the perfect team, pouncing gleefully on each other’s offers, the more tricksy and mischievous the better.

The deft dialogue is enhanced by courageous physicality (ah, the demented penguin!) with neither energy nor imagination flagging, despite the earlier extra show (public demand!) Both actors are so well versed in the beloved writer’s language and etiquette that even Austen’s most literary admirers seem more than satisfied. And if a line should be a trifle infelicitous, Ashton merely shoots a rueful glance at us over her shoulder, straight through the 4^thwall, and the audience rocks with laughter.

But the truly rollicking highlight of the show is the grand ball, depending as it does on dragging sheepish blokes from the audience onstage, as tall and desirable partners. Dungey and Ashton are naturally astute in their choices, and the local chaps learn an elegant Regency country dance with astonishing speed. One in particular is gold for an improvisor, and doubtless by now ruling the internet – tall as a tree, with a great Austen name, and actually a job in Dunedin Parks and Recreation. By the time Elizabeth has told us how much she wants to climb him, he has clicked that he is Octagon’s rival and needs to go down on one knee and propose. What a sport. 

The audience has barely finished roaring its approval before Ashton is giving a much-needed plug for the magnificent but endangered Arts on Tour, and setting up a stall to sell her cute fridge magnets and tea towels – a cheerfully shameless marketing ploy that might startle some patrons. But Penny Ashton, like Austen’s original Elizabeth, is possessed of “a mixture of sweetness and archness in her manner which made it difficult for her to affront anybody” and like Darcy, her enthusiastic audience is clearly bewitched. Personally, I rejoice that Arts on Tour exists, to ensure these brilliant artists can enchant even our smallest country towns with their inimitable brand of charming witchery.

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Jane Austen is known for her sly wit and social commentary. Not for her lewd humour or improvised songs. Yet fear not. Austen Found, a modern foray into the Regency world of anxious Mamas, dastardly suitors and the ghastly prospect of being left on the shelf at 21, is a loving burlesque that has tonight’s audience in fits of laughter. It is currently touring New Zealand thanks to Arts on Tour NZ, which brings top New Zealand performances to rural areas.

Award-winning creator Penny Ashton is responsible for two other Austen shows, the solo musical Promise & Promiscuity, and a stage adaption of Sense & Sensibility. She clearly knows her source material and her love of Austen shines through tonight’s improvised musical.

As befits an improvised show, the stage is relatively bare. A carpet, two chairs and two coat stands are about the only things on stage. Indeed, nothing else is needed; imagination supplies the rest. And luckily the imaginations of both the performers and tonight’s audience are overflowing.

That’s because the audience is an integral part of the performance. Each performance is never-before seen, never to be seen again. With a few shouts from the audience we have our heroine, Miss Katherine Coffee-Bottom, several locations (ballroom and stables) and our setting, Clock Tower Manor. A random page number from the Complete Works of Jane Austen provides the jumping off point. Ashton and costar Lori Dungey provide the rest, including the boorish Mr Edward Ashvegas, the revolting Vicar Dandruff, and the ubiquitous Mama desperate to see her daughter safely married.

The storyline may be lifted right out of Austen but the songs… less so. Tonight’s efforts treat us to some truly hilarious songs improvised on the spot. Subject matter ranges from taking to one’s bed, spotted dick, and the devil. Due to illness, there is no live accompaniment tonight and we are forced to make do with backing tracks, yet the show does not feel unduly affected.

The coat stands, bedecked as they are with bonnets, scarfs, parasols and jackets, are the wellspring from which characters flow. Ashton and Dungey both effortlessly personify the multiple Austen-esque characters. Their wonderfully expressive faces and comical physicality are a delight to watch. The character mutterings to oneself are gold and the two gossiping grandmamas deserve a special mention.

Dungey is a marvel. Her transformation from enchanted young naïf to grizzled grandmother is a hoot. An accomplished stage and screen actor, Dungey is clearly comfortable with the discomfort improvisation brings. Ashton is plainly equally as comfortable, though her efforts at a Yorkshire accent need work.

Going on stage not knowing what will happen is a prospect too terrifying for many and I tip my hat to the pair. Their comic timing is impeccable and breathless madcap pace a delight. It’s clear Ashton and Dungey love riffing on what comes up on any given night. Even the mishaps that are an inevitable element of improvisation are a source of humour.

The show starts with a potted history of Austen which, while not strictly necessary, adds a little context for any Austen novices in the house. As Ashton herself pointed out, she has now been performing her Austen-inspired shows for longer than Jane Austen enjoyed her own fame before sadly passing aged only 41. Austen’s short mortal life has been unquestionably outstripped by her long legacy: 200 years and counting. The eternal relevance of Austen means it has something for everyone. And, as proven tonight by Ashton and Dungey, it transposes just as well to an improvised musical as it has to its many other reimaginings.

Austen Found is a remarkably funny romp in which the mores and morals of Jane Austen’s Regency world are lovingly lampooned with 21^st century humour thrown in. It simultaneously manages to appeal to both the life-long Austen fan and those who wouldn’t know Austen from their elbow – no mean feat. Even the music-phobic will be charmed by this laugh-a-minute romp. (Though it’s not one to bring the children to, being liberally sprinkled with phallus jokes.)

Janeites and novices alike will enjoy the whirlwind pace and bawdy comedy. If you too love big balls, you will be right at home. 

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Austen Found: the Undiscovered Musicals of Jane Austen is a funny, bawdy romp through the meadows of the minds behind the comedy group the Conartists. Penny Ashton, Lori Dungey and Jason Smith bring the spirit of Jane Austen to Wellington through razor sharp quips, running gags and expert musical accompaniment. 

Each night’s show is unique but immersed in the world of Jane Austen’s characters and settings. Austen Found has something for everyone: Austen fans will be tickled by their references and comedy lovers will be entertained with fast-paced, witty performances. Improv games and audience participation are woven throughout the show, and the games serve both the narrative and the genre seamlessly.

Ashton and Dungey are character chameleons, morphing expertly between the archetypes familiar to Austen fans. They are in tune with each other and maestro Smith, and their strong rhymes and comedic timing show their mastery of both the genre and the skills of good improvisation.

At the time of writing, the show is nearly sold out. If you are lucky enough, you’ll get to be invited to the best ball of the season. 

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The tenth anniversary of the New Zealand Improv Festival has brought several popular shows from previous years back to the Wellington area for special anniversary performances, and the magnificent Austen Found is one of them [see links to previous reviews].  

Auckland-based improvisers the ConArtists first staged their period masterpiece ten years ago at the very first New Zealand Improv Festival, and for this one show revival tour they have reassembled ¾ of the original cast, with Penny Ashton, Lori Dungey, and Nigel Burrows returning to the stage, and Peter Muller joining the cast (and Ross Devereux joining on the keyboard).

You can tell from the crammed full audience that Jane Austen is still a big-time crowd pleaser. It might be because this is a revival of a ten year old show or it might be because that’s just the way it is but the format of the show definitely does feel like more of a straightforward crowd-pleaser than some of the high-experimental fare they have going at the festival. If everything involved puppets made out of trash and devastating major character deaths, though, the festival would just be too stressful, so I’m glad things like Austen Found are still here to provide some Friday-evening comfort at the end of a busy week.

In a touch that impresses me with her knowledge of Jane Austen, and makes me worried that she is worried that the show will run under time, Penny Ashton opens the show by speaking to the audience about Jane Austen. (Spoiler alert but it turns out later that I don’t need to be worried about the timing because the show runs perfectly to time without any scene feeling too long or too short). Ashton and Dungey then determine from the audience, and “the very important military hat” full of sins, that the Jane Austen musical we are about to see is entitled Greed and Gullibility.  

Greed and gullibility both feature prominently along with perambulating in the woods, spitting at any mention of the French, and the constant need to practise the pianoforte. The musical runs so smoothly I forget at times that it isn’t scripted. It’s really pretty crazy.

The songs provide a lovely reminder that the improvisers are in fact improvising. Some are extremely excellent, such as Dungey and Ashton’s powerful duet about how much they’re looking forward to kissing when they finally get married, and some aren’t quite on that level, but they all showcase these delightful moments of figuring out what the song is going to be about and visible joy when the song finds its feet.

All the actors keep right on top of their multiple roles and costume changes (serviced by the very busy hat stand up stage centre), filling me and the audience members I can hear around me with joy when they’re clearly wearing the scarf for one character but their scene partner has another idea and they have to seamlessly adapt.

Little splashes of colour from an improvised hymn sung in one voice by all actors, and a pre-choreographed but still delightful ball dance are the sprinkles on top of this delicious Austenian cake.

My one complaint is about Burrows’ unfortunate character choice as the Vicar. He and his cast-mates work extremely hard to dig him out of the ditch he has been created in and mould a likeable character that the audience can get on board with, but the character has started off extremely icky which makes things very difficult for them. The Vicar’s first appearance involves making creepy advances on Ashton’s character which makes most of the audience very uncomfortable, so while some of the audience are won over by the end, others are never going to forgive him.

I very much appreciate Ashton’s fourth-wall-breaking check-ins with the audience whenever something particularly creepy happens, which lets us know that she knows what is going on and does a lot to restore a sense of safety in the audience. Luckily too, this is an improv show! So no-one ever has to see that particular character again! Hooray!

Not-a-good-idea character choices aside, the music is excellent, the performers are all very in-tune with one another, and it is a very enjoyable show which my friends keep raving about long after it has finished.  

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