Performances: 27-29 June 2024, 8pm
Directed by Tina Swain

Melissa Gardner and Andrew Makepeace Ladd III are childhood friends who continue a lifelong correspondence.  As often happens, through their notes and letters, they reveal far more about themselves – their relationships, their secret fears and feelings – than they might tell each other in person. The play begins in the 1930s and follows their lives through school, college and careers to the mid-1980s.  The characters are very clearly American and transposing the text to set it in England is not an option.  There are passing references to historical events which give the action some context, but the focus is very squarely on the personal lives of the two characters.

Both come from wealthy upper middle-class backgrounds, with Melissa’s family regarding themselves as American aristocracy.  They are both well-educated, articulate and opinionated, with North American accents – I imagine them being from the north-east states of New England New York or Pennsylvania, but am happy to discuss this, and find textual references to support an alternative.  I don’t see them as being southern, but they could be west coast.

Playing age is late 50s or older, and there will be no childish voices for the early part of the play, although we will perhaps just indicate this with a lightness of tone.  Vocal range and flexibility will be key to engaging the audience and creating believable characters.

The play was written to be read not performed, with explicit instructions from the playwright about this, which gives it an interesting dynamic.  There will be plenty of time in rehearsal to dissect the dialogue and create a nuanced presentation by the two actors.

Auditions will be on Tuesday 16 April at 8pm and Sunday 21 April at 12 noon, both in the Club Room.  Scripts are available in the Members’ Room, or you can view a pdf of the text online.  Please let me know if neither of the above dates is convenient, and we can make alternative times.
Tina Swain

manager@abbeytheatre.org.uk

Production Dates: 10^th – 19^th October, the Studio

Rehearsals from: Monday 5^th August.

Auditions on: Tuesday 25^th June & Friday 28^th June, 8pm

Synopsis: Andre is an elderly man with dementia. His daughter Anne is trying to balance her love for her father and the need to care for him with the demands of her own life and relationship with Pierre.

The Father makes us see things as if through the confused eyes of Andre, as he struggles to make sense of a progressively befuddling world. Sound grim? It’s not. It’s a play that constantly confounds expectations and works almost like a thriller, with a sinister Pinteresque edge, as complete strangers keep on turning up in Andre’s flat. Though can we even be sure we are in Andre’s flat? Is Pierre a monster who physically abuses Andre? Why does Andre’s other daughter, Elise, never come to visit? Is Anne living in London or Paris?

Design: I am encouraging a collaborative approach to design, brainstorming with our Sound, Lighting, Wardrobe designers, and our Tech Exec to advise on a potentially new seating configuration. Ali Pagan, Set Designer, will I’m sure have a host of creative input to create the final unique playing space.

Casting: I would like to cast Anne and Woman with actors who share similar age and physical attributes. Please take, read and return a script from The Members Room to create and play one of the following characters;

Andre, the father.

Anne, the daughter.

Man, Anne’s partner?

Woman, Anne?

Laura, a caregiver.

Pierre, Anne’s partner?

The Father is a beautifully written play; each of these characters will be hugely rewarding  to play.

Any further questions? E-mail philip.reardon@gmail.com

Philip Reardon Director

‘They’ve disgraced our trade. Ruined our art. They’ve put a woman on the stage.’

London, 1660. King Charles ll has exploded onto the scene with a love of all things loud, extravagant and sexy. And at Drury Lane, a young Nell Gwynn causes stirrings amongst theatregoers. Charting the rise of an unlikely heroine, from her roots in Coal Yard Alley to her success as Britain’s most celebrated actress, winning the hearts of the nation and its King, this play is an exhilarating take on the heady world of Restoration theatre.

This is a play with songs, not a full-scale musical. Ability to sing an advantage, but not essential for every part, except Nell herself, who is the only character to sing solo.

Nell Gwynn premiered at Shakespeare’s Globe, London in 2015 and transferred to the West End the following year. It will be presented on the Main stage as Company of Ten’s 90^th Anniversary production.

Casting Readings in the Club Room on: June 11 8pm, June 13 8pm, June 16 2pm. You only need to attend one date, but you are welcome to attend more if you wish. If you are unable to make any of these dates, let us know and we can make alternative arrangements. Scripts are available in the Members’ Room. The play spans a period of more than 20 years and most characters will age throughout. Ages are not given – feel free to audition for whichever parts you wish irrespective of your own playing age. Please contact the directors to find out what to prepare for the audition.

NELL GWYNN, Strong singing voice needed

ROSE GWYNN, Nell’s sister

NANCY, Nell’s dresser and confidante

LADY CASTLEMAINE, Charles’s most ambitious mistress

LOUISE DE KEROUALLE, Charles’s French mistress

QUEEN CATHERINE, Charles’s Portuguese wife

OLD MA GWYNN, Nell’s mother, a brothel madam

KING CHARLES 11, the King

CHARLES HART, leading actor in the King’s Company

THOMAS KILLIGREW, actor-manager of the King’s Company

EDWARD KYNASTON, actor in the King’s Company, plays the women’s parts

JOHN DRYDEN, playwright

LORD ARLINGTON, Charles 11’s advisor

NED SPIGGETT, actor in training in the King’s Company

Ensemble, a variety of smaller roles to be filled, ability to hold a tune desirable, again any age including older teens.

Musicians, we plan to put together a small band to accompany the delightful songs.

There will be two sing-throughs on 23 and 25 July. Rehearsals will start on 2 September. Show dates are 7– 16 November.

Directors: Tim Hoyle timjhoyle@hotmail.com 07941 864811 & Elena Markham elena_markham@hotmail.com 07718 522798

Casting readings Tuesday 21 May and Thursday 23 May, 8pm in the Club Room

Performances 12-21 September; rehearsals from 8 July

The first date for your diary is the Play Parade on Sunday 19 May, 12:30pm in the theatre foyer. I’ll be saying a bit about our season-opening production of Hay Fever, and our Stage Manager Steve Pearce will also be there – we’d particularly love to meet any new or young members who are interested in getting involved, particularly if you fancy being mentored in a technical role.

Scripts for Hay Fever will be available soon in the Club Room. I heartily recommend a good read of the play as the best preparation for the casting readings, Coward’s characters have so much to say *about* each other. If you’re unable to make the casting dates but would like to read for a part, please get in touch with me and we can arrange an alternative slot.

The setting for Hay Fever is 1925, an Arts-and-Crafts-style country pile in Cookham, Berkshire. It is the home of famous actress Judith Bliss, her novelist husband David, and their two children Simon and Sorel. This is an upper-class family, who move in upper-class circles, with accents and manners (or lack of) to match. Each of the family has invited a guest down from London for the weekend, who are also mostly of the same upper class. There are gardens to explore, punting to enjoy, tennis to play, dinner to dress for – and yet the weekend turns to chaos, as the hosts tease, seduce and mislead their hapless visitors. The family are not welcoming or polite, instead they use their guests as pawns in the elaborate theatrical games that they are accustomed to playing out together. Let’s meet the Bliss family…

“You’re the most infuriating set of hypocrites I’ve ever seen. This house is a complete featherbed of false emotions – you’re posing, self-centred egotists!”

Judith Bliss (40-55): “It’s a great pity you ever left the stage, Judith – it’s your rightful home.”

Judith has been a successful actress, excelling in the kind of melodrama popular in the early years of the twentieth century. Her talent is to slip between reality and melodrama in a way that leaves her houseguests completely confused. (Note, she will not have to sing “a little French song”.)

David Bliss (40-55): “I write very bad novels.”

David has the air of a shambling, disconnected writer; he’s scruffy, and spends most of his time holed up in the library. But there’s more to him, he’s also “amusing and clever”, and is ultimately seen to be as committed to the Bliss game-playing as anyone.

Sorel Bliss (19, per the script): “I’m devastating, entirely lacking in restraint.”

Sorel is smart, impatient, sharp-edged, sometimes cruel. She’s the most self-aware of the family members, recognising how “abnormal” their behaviour seems to others. She is determined to change, she says. But she can’t, every time she falls quickly into the family games.

Simon Bliss (20-25): “It’s not our fault – it’s the way we’ve been brought up.”

Simon is almost a decent chap, less cruel than Sorel, energetic and friendly. He’s devoted to his family, particularly his mother. He relishes the game-playing and just doesn’t register how appalling the family’s behaviour can be.

And their unfortunate guests, in order of appearance…

Sandy Tyrrell (25-30): “a fresh-looking young man; he has an unspoiled, youthful sense of honour”.

Sandy actually is a decent chap, genial, a sportsman. (Ignore the stage direction about his “big hands”, not a prerequisite for the role!) Sandy is the first to arrive, the first to fall victim to the games, and, as the first down to breakfast next day, personifies the distress of the departing guests.

Myra Arundel (30-40): “Marvellous clothes, marvellous looks, marvellous brain…”

Myra is stunning, dressed in the height of fashion. She’s sharp, strong and confident – yet even she can’t survive a weekend with the Blisses! In contrast to Sandy, Myra tries to keep the upper hand but ultimately explodes in indignation and we believe her when she says she will never visit again.

Richard Greatham (50-60): “He’s a frightfully well-known diplomatist – I met him at the Mainwarings’ dance.” Richard is suave, confident, he’s well travelled, experienced. He’s attractive and quite the player, always alert to the possibility of seduction (he’s accepted Sorel’s invitation, but is then quickly embroiled with Judith). But he’s genuinely rattled by his experience of the Bliss household.

Jackie Coryton (20-30): “I wish I’d never come!”

Jackie is a shy young woman, not of the same circle (or class) as the others. She’s brave enough to have accepted an invitation to a Bliss family weekend, but is floundering. She’s the most genuine and nicest of the characters, totally bemused by the chaos of the weekend.

And finally, there’s Clara (50-60): “Mark my words, there’s been some ‘anky-panky somewhere.”

Clara is a Londoner. She’s been a dresser in the London theatres, lastly to Judith Bliss. She became devoted to Judith and has followed her to Cookham, as housekeeper for the now retired actress. Clara is unflappable, she moves at the same solid pace while the melodrama of the Bliss family plays out around her.

All ages are playing ages. We’ll work on accents (have a listen on youtube to Coward himself, particularly ‘I went to a marvellous party’), manners, attitudes and movement in rehearsals. We’ll also, I’m sure, have tremendous fun with this clever play from an absolute master.

Alison Wright, Director a.wright@nature.com / 07801 135718