Why AUSTENTATIOUS is the West End’s New Monday Night Gem

You might be asking: hasn’t AUSTENTATIOUS been around for a while? Indeed, it has. This show first made its mark at the Edinburgh Fringe—where, according to the festival’s official figures, close to three million tickets are sold annually across thousands of performances. From that creative crucible, AUSTENTATIOUS caught the eye of comedy aficionados and period drama enthusiasts alike. It toured the UK, bringing its cheeky brand of Regency-inspired humour to audiences from Glasgow to Guildford. The Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon—Shakespeare’s own backyard—also welcomed the show, proving that no matter how serious the heritage site, a bit of Austen-themed frivolity has its place.

Yet, despite its growing reputation, each performance of AUSTENTATIOUS remains as fresh and unexpected as the day the concept was first floated. The cast literally can’t rest on their laurels, because every night is built around a title suggested by the audience. Will it be Sense and Sensibility and Seagulls? Or perhaps Pride and Parakeets? No one knows until the magic words are shouted out, prompting a collective intake of breath and a chorus of delighted giggles. From there, the eight performers, including Cariad Lloyd, Rachel Parris, Joseph Morpurgo, Graham Dickson, Amy Cooke-Hodgson, Charlotte Gittins, Lauren Shearing and Daniel Nils Roberts, spin a lavish yarn teeming with plot twists, innuendo, and spirited musical accompaniment. If ever a production epitomised “anything can happen,” this is it.

Life After Fringe: The West End Beckons

Occupying the Vaudeville Theatre—one of London’s most charming venues—would be a feather in the cap for any show. For AUSTENTATIOUS, it feels like the ultimate alignment of comedic mischief and historical elegance. Strolling down the Strand, it’s impossible to miss the Vaudeville’s graceful façade, and stepping inside on a Monday evening will feel distinctly akin to walking into a Regency ball—albeit one peppered with modern quips and audience interjections.

The return to the West End also marks a fitting tribute to Jane Austen herself. In honour of her 250th birthday, AUSTENTATIOUS will grace the boards from 24 March, sharing the theatre with the unstoppable musical juggernaut that is SIX. This scheduling is no minor detail: while SIX takes its well-deserved weekly break, AUSTENTATIOUS steps in to keep the theatre’s energy high. Many producers might shy away from such a dynamic double act, but the pairing makes perfect sense. SIX reclaims the stories of Henry VIII’s wives with pop flair, while AUSTENTATIOUS wryly reimagines the socially complex, romance-tinted world of early 19th-century England. If you’re a fan of witty re-workings of historical icons, Monday nights at the Vaudeville are set to be your new obsession.

A Classic

Improvised theatre, for all its charm, can sometimes feel like a risky gamble. One slip of concentration, one half-baked joke, and the entire production can sputter. But here’s the secret of AUSTENTATIOUS’s success: its cast is a who’s-who of improvisational pros who have honed their lightning-quick comedic reflexes over countless gigs, tours, and TV appearances. Many of them are established names in British comedy—Rachel Parris is a familiar face on television panel shows, while Cariad Lloyd earned plaudits for her brilliant podcast exploring grief with disarming honesty.

Backing up this comedic ensemble is a trove of period costumes that capture the understated chic of Austen’s era. Add to that a live musical accompaniment, which underscores the drama and humour, and you have a multi-layered experience. As an audience member, you can shout out the fictional title at the top of the show, and then settle back to watch the comedic cogs churn in real time. There’s a palpable electricity in the theatre: one-liners and comedic reveals land like cunning winks to the crowd, ensuring that no two nights are the same. Data from several West End box office trackers indicate that word-of-mouth is a powerful driver of ticket sales for smaller productions, and AUSTENTATIOUS is a prime example. One person sees it, raves to their friends, and soon entire groups are clamouring to see “the show that changes every single performance.”

How AUSTENTATIOUS Puts Austen Centre Stage

Jane Austen’s legacy has never been stronger. Libraries still place Pride and Prejudice on “most-borrowed” lists, adaptations of Emma pop up in cinemas, and tours of Austen’s hometown in Hampshire draw literature lovers from around the globe. Yet, AUSTENTATIOUS does something unique: it pays irreverent homage to Austen’s style while pulling her into the 21st century. The cast often mimic the manners and language of her era—“We have ardently admired the elegance of the Vaudeville,” they quipped in their recent announcement—then sprinkle in modern cultural references that Austen herself could never have dreamed of. The result is a joyful clash of eras, where a lofty turn of phrase might suddenly give way to an unexpected comment like “Have a banana!” (an exclamation the cast adopted with glee).

It’s precisely this collision of Regency courtship and contemporary wit that makes AUSTENTATIOUS stand out. There’s something universally appealing about a carefully crafted farce, especially one that invites you to laugh at the gap between Austen’s refined sensibilities and our modern quirks. For anyone who’s ever found themselves daydreaming about strolling through the Pump Room in Bath or fantasising about a suitor’s letter penned in meticulous calligraphy, this show is an absolute must. And for those who think they’re not Austen fans? Well, brace yourselves. You might be charmed into curiosity after experiencing the comedic chemistry that unfolds onstage.

Monday Nights Come Alive

Traditionally, Monday evenings in the West End can be a bit subdued. Many long-running musicals and plays use the night for cast rest, technical checks, and recharging their theatrical batteries. But with AUSTENTATIOUS stepping into the limelight at the Vaudeville Theatre, Mondays suddenly promise a fresh jolt of energy on the Strand. There’s also a fascinating synergy at play: theatre lovers who can’t find tickets to see SIX later in the week might now explore AUSTENTATIOUS, or vice versa. The theatre becomes a seven-day powerhouse, drawing fans of historical narratives—however unconventional—to the same stage.

What’s not obvious on the surface, though, is how clever the production’s timing is. By capitalising on this one “dark night” slot, AUSTENTATIOUS is able to maintain its sense of exclusivity. You won’t be able to see this improvised gem just any day of the week. It’s a special Monday tradition that effectively repositions the entire start to your week. Rather than ticking off chores or dreading the next morning’s alarm, you can dive into a whimsical world of Regency romance and zany plot twists. And let’s face it, we could all use a little more laughter in our Mondays.

A Personal Encounter with the Unpredictable

I’ll never forget my first encounter with AUSTENTATIOUS at the Edinburgh Fringe, when an audience member hollered a proposed title so scandalous that the cast collectively blushed before bursting into laughter. Within seconds, they transformed their shock into a hilarious opening scene featuring a brazen heroine, a hapless suitor, and a dance party that ended in comedic chaos. The spontaneity was breathtaking. I recall thinking: “If they can seamlessly navigate that bizarre suggestion, they can handle anything.” And handle it they did, in a manner that left me, and the rest of the crowd, gasping for air by the final bow.

That spirit—the fearless, go-for-broke willingness to court disaster for the sake of a brilliant gag—is what makes AUSTENTATIOUS a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. While many shows strive for precision and polish, here the thrill lies in the unpolished edges. You’re witnessing creative minds whirr and spark in real time, bridging the gap between performer and audience with every spontaneous twist.

One More Reason to Celebrate

This new West End run also serves as a heartwarming tribute to Jane Austen’s enduring influence on literary and popular culture. Celebrating her 250th birthday in a theatre that’s practically a stone’s throw from some of London’s most iconic cultural landmarks feels delightfully appropriate. It’s as if Austen’s famous wit and social commentary are being brought back to life in the city that shaped so many chapters of her era. And just as Austen fans worldwide toast her legacy, you can join the festivities by immersing yourself in a performance that reimagines her style with a contemporary comedic twist.

Concluding on a Monday night, as you meander out of the Vaudeville Theatre and onto the Strand’s lamp-lit pavement, you’ll carry with you the echo of laughter that only comes from witnessing something truly unrepeatable. In a city brimming with world-class performances, AUSTENTATIOUS dares to be the show you’ll never see the same way twice. And that, as any passionate theatregoer knows, is the purest essence of live performance: once the curtain falls, the moment’s magic lives on only in your memory. So gather a few friends, find a seat in that velvety auditorium, and prepare to relish the unfiltered joy of improvisation. After all, Mondays were made for surprises—and AUSTENTATIOUS delivers them in abundance.