A Christmas Carol

By Charles Dickens, adapted by Tony Peters

Director Philip Reardon writes:

Casting dates: Sunday 16^th September, 2pm; Tuesday 18th September, 8pm; Thursday 20th September, 8pm; rehearsals commence Monday 1st October; the run is from 12 to 29 December

Characters: Scrooge, Child Scrooge, Young Scrooge, Fan, Isabelle, Isabelle’s Husband, Nephew, Nephew’s Family, Cratchit, Mrs Cratchit, Cratchit Kids (including Tiny Tim), Marley, Ghost Past, Ghost Present, Fezziwig, Miss Fezziwig, Mrs Fezziwig, Charwoman, Joe, Laundress and Businessmen, Debtors, etc.etc.

I and my co-director Katherine Barry are looking forward to welcoming you to our Workshop Auditions in mid-September. We’re looking for a team of actors, around 16 in number, to play a variety of roles (there are in excess of 30 characters plus a chorus!) with an age range of 8 to 98. If that doesn’t include you, please stop reading now.

The watchwords for this production are ensemble, humour and fun. Bah, humbug! I hear you cry –playing as a team whilst enjoying ourselves should be banned!

Whilst using all available technology, including projected animation to assist the story-telling and to play the part of The Ghost of Christmas Future, trapdoors, smoke, voice exchangers, flying actors and a multitude of lighting effects to reveal and conceal, it promises to be spectacular to watch and hear. We’ll also have, in addition to traditional carols, an original soundtrack to accompany the production!

We’d like to see the humour brought to the fore, which can be achieved by Scrooge’s reaction to events, physical comedy response and other ideas that we will explore during rehearsal.

Also, the ensemble’s input into devising the look and feel of the piece is vital – you will be telling the story in your own way.

Ultimately, we want to create a piece that is both fun to do and fun to watch, so if you satisfy the above criteria (i.e. are aged 8 to 98 and want to have some fun) diarise the casting dates now!

Silly Cow

by Ben Elton

Playing in the Studio 16 January – 26 January 2019

Casting readings in The Studio: Tuesday 9th October, 8pm until 10pm; Thursday 11 October, 8pm until 10pm; Tuesday 16 October, 8pm until 10pm

Rehearsals commence 19^th November (time off for the Winter Holidays)

Director Catherine Hieatt writes:

Ben Elton’s dry satirical view on the slick and savage world of the tabloid press portrays a protagonist, Doris Wallace, who has clawed her way to celebrity success as a merciless and vicious critic. Nice twist at the end!

Doris Wallace has everything a tough tabloid columnist could want -– so being sued by an actress for libel is but a petty annoyance – or so she thought…

Characters 2f, 3m

Doris and Peggy are ‘look-a-likes’. Apart from Doris, all actors play two different parts!

Doris, 35 – 50, is a big bold, brassy, witty women’s features journalist. She has her own TV column, which is pure abuse.

Peggy, 35 – 50, is Doris’s mousey but efficient P.A. (She reveals herself as a classically trained actress. She has had dance training and has a terribly refined drawl.)

Sidney, 45 – 65, thinks of himself as a rough diamond. He is a populist tabloid newspaperman. (When he drops his yobbo character he is a tough, northern Liverpool Everyman/ Glasgow Citizen type actor with a strong regional accent.)

Eduardo, 20 – 30 is a handsome, cocky, streetwise, male bimbo. (When he reveals himself and drops the wide boy act he becomes what he is – a beautiful, sensitive, pretentious young actor.)

Douglas Robertson, 55 – 70, is a dignified old gentleman. (When Douglas reveals himself he is an actor of the old school with a deep velvet, luvvie voice.)

There are also opportunities for new and experienced technical staff: Stage Manager and Mentee; Props and Mentee; Prompter Mentee; Technical Mentees.

Scripts available in the Members Room. Contact Director: Catherine Hieatt hieatt@btopenworld.com or 07968 189245 – or simply come along!