Finding fun in a Dickens tale
Out & about
The allure of bonnets and costumes has proved too much for Penny Ashton with the actress and comedienne off on tour once again with her Dickensian-inspired comedy, Olive Copperbottom.
She’s not afraid of working with the classics, having toured her Austen-inspired show, Promise And Promiscuity internationally.
From Austen, she says it was a logical leap to take on Dickens.
‘‘A lot of people don’t think of Austen and Dickens as funny but they really are.’’
Ashton cycles through 15 ginsoaked characters in her show, from urchins to prostitutes. All are inspired by characters from Dickens’ novels. There are references and in-jokes for the fans of the British author, a bit of innuendo for anyone else and a dash of social commentary and feminism.
‘‘It’s a rollicking good tale.’’ Her tour takes her to 34 places around the country, including a stop in Upper Hutt early next month.
One thing she’s looking forward to is the venue with Expressions Whirinaki already kitted out with all the lights and props she requires. A lot of smaller venues don’t always have all the gear needed and she only has limited
‘‘A lot of people don’t think of Austen and Dickens as funny but they really are.’’
Comedienne Penny Ashton
space in her van for props.
‘‘It’s low-fi, compared to lots of other tours and I try to keep things quite minimal. I have a barrel, a chest and a chair,’’ she said. ‘‘We have to be very portable.’’
She says she’d toured around five different venues in Canada, lugging an old wine barrel with her. That proved a challenge and made for some odd looks whenever she would take an Uber with it.
Since then, she has switched to a fibreglass barrel, which is a little easier on her back.
For now, she plans on enjoying the tour and witnessing a side of New Zealand that not everyone often sees by travelling to our smaller towns.
‘‘I love seeing the different way of life out in the provinces and meeting all the lovely people that volunteer to bring art to the community.’’
❚ Olive Copperbottom is playing at Expressions Whirinaki in Upper Hutt on April 3 at 8pm.