Welcome to this years Phoenix Remix Awards – every year as Editor I like to celebrate the talent that I have witnessed on stage and give that particular group extra promotion to introduce new audience members to them as well as also celebrate their talents. For this years awards, I decided to open it up to the public as well to vote for who they think deserves to win in three different categories including The People’s Choice Improv Show of The Year Award.

In total 1,386 people voted and they chose Austentatious: The Improvised Novel, for their choice for Show of the Year. I spoke to Rachel Parris about the show and being part of such a prestigious improv show.

Hello tell us all about who you all are and three unknown facts about Austentatious ?

Well, the company is Amy Cooke-Hodgson, Andrew Hunter Murray, Cariad Lloyd, Charlotte Gittins, Daniel Nils Roberts, Graham Dickson, Joseph Morpurgo and Rachel Parris, and often with Lauren Shearing too! with 6 of us in each show.

Three unknown facts about Austentatious:

1.Our first ever show was at the Round Table, a tiny pub in Leicester Square, to about 12 people (as many as would fit in the room).

2. In our early shows, we would do a second half which was short form games set in the style of Austen: eg Late for Church instead of Late For Work or an improvised folk tune of the time.

3. Probably our favourite person who came to see the show was Emma Thompson, who we adore – her Sense and Sensilibity is perfect, and she was as warm and funny and encouraging as you’d expect!

You have been awarded the Phoenix Remix ‘Peoples Choice Improv Show of The Year’ ’ award – how does this feel?

We are absolutely delighted. It is really something to have been going for 9 years and to know that people still enjoy the show, that there’s still an audience our there who might love it. thank you!

How did you group initially form?

We can hardly remember now! We all knew each other from performing in other improv groups over the years – there’s loads of overlap – Between The Oxford Imps, Showstoppers, The Institute, StoryBox, and Racing Minds, we’d nearly all played together at some point.

Me and Amy initiated the idea of a literary narrative long form show,and got the gang together and then within a couple of weeks, we were rehearsing in a school room, deciding on which author, working out the format, the name and what Sam Patten (our Professor character) should be called!

How did the show come Austentatious about?

Well, even though we have all continued to form new groups together, as this particular group, we have only ever done Austentatious. When we first formed, those first few weeks, the plan was to try all sorts of different literary styles, but just start off with Austen. We had ideas about doing Tennesee Williams, Checkov, Enid Blyton, even John Hughes movies! But Austentatious took off so quickly, that we never got round to doing those others, not as this group anyway! Amy formed Bumper Blyton a few years later and Charlotte has done Checkhov-prov at european improv festivals, so we are getting there eventually!

For those who have not seen your set – what suggestions do you ask for and what is your style of improv?

Our improv style is longform narrative – we tell a complete story with a beginning, middle and end, in roughly the style of Jane Austen! We get the audience to give us suggestions of a made up book title, at the start of the show, and we choose one in the moment, and then…GO!

Your show has sold out year after year at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, which must be a fantastic feeling! – why do you think audiences keep coming back to watch your show?

Well, on a basic level – it really is very different every time – obviously the stories are always different but even the tone and style, sometimes you might see a very “Austen”y one – crossed romantic connections, changes in fortune, elopements, lost love etc and sometimes you might see a more sci-fi, or more horror, or more political one, it depends what the title is and how the improv goes! But what the show always is, I think, and the second reason why audiences keep coming back to watch the show – is that it’s always fun. At a time when there’s so many dark things happening in the world, i think we offer some light-hearted escapism, as well as a good yarn!

Also we have to talk about the costumes and the props – they are wonderful!

oh thank you! When we started out in 2011, we wore old bridesmaid dresses and the boys just wore the floppiest shirt they could find! Over the years we have paid a bit more attention to the costumes – so the boys now all have fitted suits and everything and the ladies have had dresses made (but we still sometimes wear our old bridesmaid ones, they are so comfy and feel like home!) The props we pick up where we can find them – if we see a nice fan, or a funny old bonnet in a charity shop or something, we buy it and add it to the collection!

What have been some of your favourite moments on stage this year?

Jo Morpurgo’s character jumping into a fire twice in one show was a highlight of sorts!

Do you have to do much research before going on stage to do an Austentatious show? Do you need to know the books of Janes Austen well enough to quote or refer to characters at all?

We do all have a very good working knowledge of Jane Austen’s output – some more than others, some have read half the novels, some are slightly obsessed by all things Jane! We’ve had study nights and shared notes on the language, the manners, the pastimes, what was invented and what wasn’t, even the military history. But that is only ever at the back of your head while improvising and we try hard never to refer to specific quotes or characters from the real books as that would create a big confusion in the story we are creating. If you are playing an invented character called Lord Carmichael, and he suddenly quotes Captain Wentworth, it’d be incredibly distracting and similarly if you are doing a story that is about the local Hampshire ladies regency football team, and someone were to suddenly play a character called Elizabeth Bennet,, it wouldn’t work, as her story and character is already written, but it’s crucial that all our characters are free to go where they please – otherwise it wouldn’t be improvised!

It crops up occasionally but we avoid it where possible.

What are your favourite style of Austen character to play on stage and why?

My favourite character to play is the young ingenue – the more giddy and naive the better! We all have our favourites – Graham tends towards eccentric old men, Andy towards upstanding Reverends and Charlotte makes a killer villainess (sometimes literally)

Who are some Improvisers that you find inspiring and why?

So many to list – but let’s start with Patti Styles – she is the guru of our group and we find her a total inspiration. She challenges us and is like an improv-mum to us all!

What have been some of the best titles you have been given by audience this year ?

We can’t believe after 9 years we still keep getting such good ones – this year we’ve had, to name just a few, A Sleuth Universally Acknowledged, Thun-De Bourgh’s_ are GO, A Lace Odyssey, Pride and Seek, and Mansfield Park Football Club.

What is the best piece of advice you would give any improviser, experienced or new?

Just to keep finding new ways of enjoying it. Play with new people, do new things with your regular people, take a new class, don’t ever think you’re an old hand at it. Learn and have fun.

What are your three favourite things about doing improv?

Constantly creating something, the never-knowing what will happen, and the trust in your team.

How do you warm up before every show?

We have a load of games we’ve played over the years but we add new ones every few weeks – regular ones include wordball, levels is good for connection and focus, soundball, energy games like zip zap boing, vampire tag, and one word story or “BOOK”! Anything that gets us out of our heads, and brings us together or makes us laugh.

Do you have any pre show rituals – if so what are they?

We do warm up games, then a huddle, and all get each other backs.

When can people see you perform in the new year?

We will be returning to the Fortune theatre from February next year for weekly shows, dates announced soon!

If people want to find out more about you where can they follow you on social media?

@austenimpro on both twitter and instagram

And Finally in three words – Why is Austentatious so unique?

Obviously, the script.

QUICK FIRE ROUND

What makes your smile?

Andy’s long-limbed dancing on stage

What is your biggest strength as an improviser?

emotional connection (i think)

Dream venue to perform at and why?

Leeds City Varieties or Wilton’s Music Hall – both beautiful old, ornate theatres with a history of weird, wonderful shows. They suit us very well!

Are you a dog or cat person?

Dog

What is the most delightful suggestion for a scene you can think of?

no suggestion – just two people going onstage and seeing what they find together.

 If you had to have a tattoo to represent improv what would you have and why?

A pair of eyes – to represent looking and connecting with someone else. But it would make a seriously creepy tattoo i think.

Who is your improv hero and why?

Lee Simpson from the Comedy Store Players has an extraordinary ability to be both laugh out loud funny while also playing emotionally AND playing a suite of different characters when called for but above all is an extremely generous improviser. He is always giving, always trying to make you look good.

 What is the last thing you liked on social media?

A post about Cariad Lloyd’s Griefcast being nominated for a Rose D’Or!

 Something on your bucket list

To perform on SNL!