Meet The West End Star From Leeds Behind Smash Hit Austentatious
Living North meet Leeds-born actor, writer and improvisor Graham Dickson
Inspired entirely by a random title suggested by the audience, and performed in period costume with live music, Austentatious has been making audiences laugh out loud since 2011. It took the Edinburgh Fringe by storm in 2012 and now it’s a West End hit on a tour of the UK. Graham is a founding member and stars in the current UK tour.
‘I was born in Leeds but my family moved down to the soft south when I was five, so sadly I never really got the chance to let my Yorkshire vowels develop,’ says Graham. 'I’m an actor and writer but my life is really devoted to improv, which I can’t get enough of.’
As well as Austentatious, Graham also tours with Kiell Smith-Bynoe’s improv comedy show Kool Story Bro (coming to Leeds in October) and is the founder and artistic director of The Free Association, a comedy theatre and improv school in London. He’s also no stranger to the screen, having starred in series including After Life, The Witchfinder and, most recently, ITV’s The Lady. ‘I became obsessed with film when I was young and always dreamed of working in film,’ says Graham. ‘I only really discovered acting when I went to uni, but then I was hooked. I felt the calling and went all in.’
Graham briefly trained as an actor in New York and it was there that he discovered improv, which he says was popular in the US but hadn’t really caught on back home. ‘When I was back in the UK, I desperately tried to find people who were doing it, and it took a long time to find the right people,’ he says. ‘Eventually I met Amy [Cooke-Hodgson], and she introduced me to some of her pals who were all really funny and wanted to start doing an improv show based on some obscure author I had never heard of… Jane something. A few weeks later Austentatious was born and a few months after that I was forced to read Pride and Prejudice!’
The fully-improvised show is silly, joyful and always different, but always inspired by the works of Jane Austen. ‘The show has something for lovers of Jane and those who have never read a word,’ Graham reveals. ‘We all love her writing, and the themes and settings of those books give us a glorious palette to paint from, but every show is unique and works (hopefully) as a story in its own right. It’s a comedy show first and foremost, and the nature of improv means the shows are always filled with playfulness, spontaneity and mischief.’
Graham says he never expected it to be so successful. ‘We had no idea what we were getting into,’ he says. ‘We wanted to muck about and have some fun with our mates, and the combination of elements seemed to come together in a perfect way that seemed to really engage audiences. I think the themes, imagery and wit of Austen’s works being so ingrained in our collective cultural consciousness go a long way to explaining our success.’
Audiences in Leeds are told to expect a very fun time that will never be had again. ‘Touring is a joy; live performance in general is a joy,’ Graham says. ‘It’s so important for people outside of London to be able to see shows because most people do live outside of London, after all! We love responding to the different crowds we get on tour. Because our show is improvised it means we have the freedom to incorporate local trivia or references, and that can make shows feel even more special and unique. We adore playing in Leeds. it’s without doubt one of our fave spots on tour and we can’t wait to be back.’
As for the future, Graham says it’ll almost certainly involve a lot of improv.
Austentatious plays Leeds Grand Theatre on 14th June. Find out more about the production at austentatiousimpro.com.
What's your best advice for budding actors?
Take an improv class! It’s such a valuable skill to learn for a career in acting, and it brings so much joy to a career that can feel really tough sometimes.
Is there another play or musical you'd love to star in?
I’d love to do any Beckett. I love Beckett, and it feels like a huge challenge. Also the play Mr. Burns by Anne Washburn. I think about it almost every day having seen it 15 years ago. If anyone’s ever putting that on again, hit me up please!
Who inspires you most?
Right now, Nathan Fielder, the mastermind behind The Rehearsal and Nathan for You. I think he’s a genius, I’m obsessed with everything he does.
