The all-star Austentatious cast will come to Town Hall on Sun 24 November, improvising a hilarious new Jane Austen novel, inspired entirely by a random title from the audience.

“I've been there since the beginning!” says Graham Dickson, one of Austentatious’ revolving cast. He is co-founder and Artistic Director of leading London improv theatre and school The Free Association and has written and performed two solo shows at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, ‘The Narcissist’ and ‘Timber’. His acting credits include the film ‘All My Friends Hate Me’ and the TV shows ‘Afterlife’, ‘Witchfinder’, ‘PLS Like’ and ‘Borderline’. “I'm one of the founding members. Four of the team met in Oxford and had been doing some improv there.”

“I met Amy in London in a fringe improv team and she invited me to meet her Oxford pals, plus Cariad,” he says, referring to Amy Cooke-Hodgson and Cariad Lloyd, both boasting their own impressive credits from Olivier Award-winning opera to multiple award-winning podcasts. “The six of us formed the group nearly 13 years ago.” After being founded in London in 2011, Austentatious took the Edinburgh Fringe by storm in 2012. In a free venue above a pub, the show drew queues stretching around the block, and a slew of rave reviews proclaiming it the must-see show of the year.

“I’ve been improvising for about 18 years now and I cannot get bored of it. Every time you step on stage, something new and different happens,” says Graham when asked what he loves about improv. “It means you get to enjoy the show as much as the audience does. I love that.” Performed in period costume with live musical accompaniment, Austentatious promises a riotous, razor-sharp show where swooning is guaranteed. “It’s impossible to remember all the funny bits that happen.” With whip-smart wit, and a cavalcade of cads, dashing gents and fierce heroines, this is a legendary comedy experience for Austen-fans and newcomers alike. “The moments where players really surprise each other by breaking the conventions of the show are the moments that tend to stand out. Joe got completely naked in a show once,” Graham recalls. “Daniel did a ‘magic trick’ with a battery. Joe got on my shoulders to play a giant once, and that was very dangerous...”

“We have no idea what’s going to happen, but it’s always hilarious, it’s usually romantic, it can be quite rude but in a very PG way, and it’s always surprising,” says Graham. “We like to think that there is usually something for everyone in terms of their taste of comedy, and whether you like Jane Austen or not, we think you’ll have a great time."

Don’t miss Austentatious on Sun 24 November at Town Hall for what promises to be a one-of-a-kind evening of fun, frocks and laughs!

Interview by Lerah Barcenilla, Marketing & Communications Officer