Joseph Morpurgo

An entirely improvised comedy play, with a cast who conjure up a 'lost' Jane Austen novel, based on nothing more than a title suggested by the audience.

As part of the BBC2 50th anniversary celebrations comedians Harry Enfield and Paul Whitehouse were commissioned to produce this spoof history of the channel. It parodies the channel, its content and the history documentary.

Austentatious is an award-winning improvised comedy show in the style of the wondrous and witty Jane Austen. Every performance is made up on the spot based simply on a title suggested by the audience, so be it “Mansfield Shark”, “Darcy and Hutch” or “I Know What You Did Last Season”, no two shows are the same. Performed in period costume with live cello accompaniment, Austentatious is an immersive and hilarious treat for fans of Austen and improvised comedy alike.

The team are back - this time taking the air in Folkestone, where the men are not quite like other men in Austen's England.

My dear friends, it's time for us to welcome you to another 'lost' Jane Austen novel. It's been improvised from start to finish by the amazing cast of Austentatious. The actors conjure up the story from nothing, backed by fully improvised lighting, soundtrack and, now I come to think about it, our camerawork too. This is the third time we have recorded Austentatious, this time as part of their residency at the Arts Theatre in London's glittering West End.

Spoofing the conventions of the post-show Q&A, outlandish funny-man Joseph Morpurgo presents his multimedia stand-up voodoo. Featuring surreal set-pieces, inventive comic writing, and one monstrous thespian ego, this is conceptual comedy delivered with chucklesome clout.