Show 7: Austentatious: An Improvised Jane Austen Novel

Austentatious have developed quite the name for themselves, and many of their individual performers have found well-deserved success as solo performers at the Fringe of late (namely Joseph Morpurgo, Andrew Hunter Murray and Cariad Lloyd). Improvised comedy can, so often, swing wildly from being tedious and cringeworthy to being a breathtaking display of creativity, wit and joyful play. Thankfully the Austentatious cast are skilled enough in improv and work so well together that they made a delightful hour.

Inviting audience members to conceive a missing Jane Austen novel, the cast randomly pick a title on stage and then improvise the story int eh style of Jane Austen, with frocks and all.

The show I watched was 'Austen: AirBnB'. Impressively they managed to tie together a Lord's jilted romantic experiences, the struggles of a newly founded bed and breakfast place, its rivalry with the hotel and a woman who just can't help but take her desk everywhere. It was an entertaining, endearing and exhilerating hour of improv and doubtless their other performances are likely to enthrall equally well, regardless of the title they randomly choose.

This is top notch improvised comedy.

Score: 9/10

Venue: Udderbelly at George Square

Dates: 20-21 August

Time: 13.30

Price: £12.50 (£13.50)