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Culture Stage

Fringe Review: Promise And Promiscuity: A New Musical

PROMISE AND PROMISCUITY: A NEW MUSICAL BY JANE AUSTEN AND PENNY ASHTON by Austen and Ashton. Randolph Theatre. July 3 at 3 pm, July 4 at 9:30 pm, July 6 at 3:30 pm, July 7 at 11 pm, July 9 at 1:45 pm. Buy tickets. Rating: NNN


A real treat for Jane Austen fans, Penny Ashton’s quirky solo musical combines elements borrowed from Pride And Prejudice and Sense And Sensibility to produce an entirely new comedy of manners set in Regency England.

Packed with tongue-in-cheek pop culture references (everything from Bon Jovi to Donald Trump to 50 Shades Of Grey) and silly double entendres, Ashton quickly switches between a whole host of high society characters engaged in elaborate schemes surrounding weddings, balls, literature and, of course, proper etiquette.

The result is a near-perfect approximation of Austen’s quick-witted style peppered with some songs performed on ukulele. That said, the fast pace of the bookish Brit-inflected dialogue and pile of obscure references and in-jokes pose a barrier to the uninitiated. Ashton is a seasoned pro who’s toured this show all over the world, so if Austen is your bag, look no further.

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