Work

Programme Note

Austen Found: The Undiscovered Musicals of Jane Austen is an improvised show for four or five actors plus a pianoforte player – a story in the style of Jane Austen, told as a complete piece of musical theatre. I have been one of two musicians to play in this show, which has had multiple seasons since its beginnings in 2008.

All of the story, dialogue, songs and lyrics are improvised anew every time we do the show. Nonetheless, there are two pieces of music which have remained the same for every run which I have performed in. The first is the opening Theme (approx. 20 seconds), which heralds the entrance of the players onto the stage. The second is a Country Dance (approx. 80-90 seconds) – being that this is a show set in the Regency period, there will inevitably be a ball held in a country manor. There is a choreographed set-piece dance for this occasion.

– Robbie Ellis, Auckland, October 2010

Difficulty:

Beginner

Influences:

• Language and Literature

Related Works

Performance History

	28 Nov 2008	Performed by Robbie Ellis (piano) at the BATS Theatre, in Wellington
	18 Feb 2010	Performed by Robbie Ellis (piano) at the Whakatane Little Theatre, in Whakatane
	21 Feb 2010	Performed by Robbie Ellis (piano) at Victorian Garden Conservatory, Hamilton Gardens
	22 Feb 2010	Performed by Robbie Ellis (piano) at Victorian Garden Conservatory, Hamilton Gardens
	22 Feb 2010	Performed by Robbie Ellis (piano) at Victorian Garden Conservatory, Hamilton Gardens
	26 Feb 2010	Performed by Robbie Ellis (piano) at Higher Ground Studio, Adelaide, Australia
	27 Feb 2010	Performed by Robbie Ellis (piano) at Higher Ground Studio in Adelaide, Australia
	28 Feb 2010	Performed by Robbie Ellis (piano) at Higher Ground Studio in Adelaide, Australia
	03 Mar 2010	Performed by Robbie Ellis (piano) at Higher Ground Studio in Adelaide, Australia
	04 Mar 2010	Performed by Robbie Ellis (piano) at Higher Ground Studio in Adelaide, Australia
	05 Mar 2010	Performed by Robbie Ellis (piano) at Higher Ground Studio in Adelaide, Australia
	06 Mar 2010	Performed by Robbie Ellis (piano) at Higher Ground Studio in Adelaide, Australia
	07 Mar 2010	Performed by Robbie Ellis (piano) at Higher Ground Studio in Adelaide, Australia
	10 Mar 2010	Performed by Robbie Ellis (piano) at Higher Ground Studio in Adelaide, Australia
	11 Mar 2010	Performed by Robbie Ellis (piano) at Higher Ground Studio in Adelaide, Australia
	12 Mar 2010	Performed by Robbie Ellis (piano) at the Higher Ground Studio in Adelaide, Australia
	13 Mar 2010	Performed by Robbie Ellis (piano) at the Higher Ground Studio in Adelaide, Australia
	14 Mar 2010	Performed by Robbie Ellis (piano) at the Higher Ground Studio in Adelaide, Australia
	14 Mar 2010	Performed by Robbie Ellis (piano) at the Higher Ground Studio in Adelaide, Australia
	05 Apr 2010	Performed by Robbie Ellis (piano) at the Hawke’s Bay Opera House, in Hastings
	21 Oct 2010	Performed by Robbie Ellis (piano) at the Herald Theatre, in Auckland
	22 Oct 2010	Performed by Robbie Ellis (piano) at the Herald Theatre in Auckland
	23 Oct 2010	Performed by Robbie Ellis (piano) at the Herald Theatre, in Auckland
	24 Oct 2010	Performed by Robbie Ellis (piano) at the Herald Theatre, in Auckland
	26 Oct 2010	Performed by Robbie Ellis (piano) at the Herald Theatre, in Auckland
	27 Oct 2010	Performed by Robbie Ellis (piano) at the Herald Theatre, in Auckland
	28 Oct 2010	Performed by Robbie Ellis (piano) at the Herald Theatre, in Auckland
	29 Oct 2010	Performed by Robbie Ellis (piano) at the Herald Theatre, in Auckland
	30 Oct 2010	Performed by Robbie Ellis (piano) at the Herald Theatre, in Auckland
	31 Oct 2010	Performed by Robbie Ellis (piano) at the Herald Theatre, in Auckland