Sleep No More

A Thriller by David Gillespie & Colin Wakefield
Director: Helen Moscrop
Production Date: Wed 24 Oct - Sat 03 Nov 2012

Synopsis

This supernatural thriller is set in a theatre that has been closed for sixty years following the accidental death of a child during rehearsals for Murder by Poison, a Victorian thriller.

Only Mickey’s elderly and eccentric father William knows the truth of what happened all those years ago and tries to warn him that the play is doomed, but Mickey ignores the warning. As rehearsals progress, unusual and mysterious occurrences begin to mount to deadly and terrifying consequences.

Now Mickey, the great-grandson of the theatre’s original owner has restored the theatre to it former glory and plans to re-open it with the very same play.

Characters

• Sal - age 20 - Stage Management student working during her summer break.
• Micky - age 52 - owner of the theatre and Director of "Murder by Poison".
• Jenny - age 40s - playing the mother in "Murder by Poison"
• William - age 75 - eccentric shabby, father of Micky.
• Pete - age early 30s - playing the father in "Murder by Poison".

• Ben - age 10 - son of Jenny playing her son in the play.
• Eva - 12 - a Ghost.

Auditions

Auditions for the CHILD roles will take place at the following times and locations in the Rehearsal Studio:

• Monday 07 May @ 7.30pm
• Thursday 10 May @ 7.30pm
• Saturday 12 May @ 11.30

Further Information

If you have any questions, please contact Helen Moscrop, the Director, via the Contact Us form.

Charley's Aunt

Could you complete the wonderful cast we have? If so please contact the Director, Richard Collett via our Contact Us form.

Production dates are 4th-14 July and rehearsals start late May.

A Thriller by David Gillespie & Colin Wakefield
Director: Helen Moscrop
Production Date: Wed 24 Oct - Sat 03 Nov 2012

Synopsis

This supernatural thriller is set in a theatre that has been closed for sixty years following the accidental death of a child during rehearsals for Murder by Poison, a Victorian thriller.

Only Mickey’s elderly and eccentric father William knows the truth of what happened all those years ago and tries to warn him that the play is doomed, but Mickey ignores the warning. As rehearsals progress, unusual and mysterious occurrences begin to mount to deadly and terrifying consequences.

Now Mickey, the great-grandson of the theatre’s original owner has restored the theatre to it former glory and plans to re-open it with the very same play.

Characters

• Sal - age 20 - Stage Management student working during her summer break.
• Micky - age 52 - owner of the theatre and Director of "Murder by Poison".
• Jenny - age 40s - playing the mother in "Murder by Poison"
• Ben - age 10 - son of Jenny playing her son in the play.
• William - age 75 - eccentric shabby, father of Micky.
• Pete - age early 30s - playing the father in "Murder by Poison".
• Eva - 12 - a Ghost.

Auditions

Auditions for the adult roles will take place at the following times and locations:

• Thursday 12 April 7.30pm - in the Rehearsal Studio
• Sunday 15 April 10.00am - in the Theatre

Auditions for the two children will be announced at a later date.

Further Information

If you have any questions, please contact Helen Moscrop, the Director, via the Contact Us form.

A Comedy by Tim Firth
Director: Stephen Boden
Production dates: Saturday 1 - Saturday 15 September 2011
Rehearsals: from Monday 23 July on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.

Synopsis

When Annie's husband John dies of leukaemia, she and best friend Chris resolve to raise money for a new settee in the local hospital waiting room. They manage to persuade four fellow WI members to pose nude with them for an "alternative" calendar, with a little help from hospital porter and amateur photographer, Lawrence.

The news of the women's charitable venture spreads like wildfire, and hordes of press soon descend on the small village of Knapeley in the Yorkshire Dales. The calendar is a success, but Chris and Annie's friendship is put to the test under the strain of their new-found fame.

Based on the true story of eleven WI members who posed nude for a calendar to raise money for the Leukaemia Research Fund, Calendar Girls is the fastest selling play in British theatre history.

A Note on Nudity

Contrary to belief, there is no nudity directly on show to the audience. The art of the play's nudity lies in what is withheld. It is described as "fabulous concealment" and if we see anything we oughtn't, the whole scene falls apart.

Characters

• Chris - 50's
  You want Chris at your party. She will talk to people she doesn't know, find things to say to fill silences and generate laughter. Part of this is because Chris is at home in crowds, holding court, being the centre of attention. Without Chris in her life, Annie would be better behaved, her life less fun. The two of them are like naughty schoolgirls. Ideal car - who cares, as long as it's a cabriolet. Ideal holiday - Algarve.
• Annie - 50's
  Annie will join in mischief but is at heart more conformist and less confrontational than Chris. After Chris has put a waiter's back up in the restaurant, Annie will go in and pour calm. The mischievousness Chris elicits saves Annie from being a saint. She has enough edge to be interesting, and enough salt not to be too sweet. Ideal car - who cares, as long as it's reliable. Ideal holiday - walking in English countryside.

Together these two are greater than the sum of their parts. They would be lesser humans had they not met each other. Each is spiritual mustard to the other's meat.

• Cora - around 40
  Cora's past is the most eclectic, her horizons broadened by having gone to college. This caused a tectonic shift with her more parochial parents. She came back to them pregnant and tail-between-legs, but Cora has too much native resilience to be downtrodden. She is the joker in the pack, but never plays the fool. Her wit is deadpan. It raises laughter in others, but rarely in herself. Her relationship with her daughter is more akin to that between Chris and Annie. Cora doesn't need to sing like a diva but must be able to sing well enough to start the show with Jerusalem and sing the snatches of other songs required. The piano keyboard can be marked up to enable her to play basic chords should she not be a player. Ideal car - who cares, as long as the sound system is loud. Ideal holiday - New York.
• Jessie - late 60's/70's
  Get on the right side of Jessie as a teacher and she'll be the teacher you remember for life. Get on the wrong side and you will regret every waking hour. A lover of life, Jessie doesn't bother with cosmetics - her elixir of life is bravery. Jessie goes on roller-coasters. Her husband has been with her a long time and is rarely surprised by her actions. Jessie bothers about grammar and will correct stallholders regarding their abuse of the apostrophe "s". Ideal car - strange-looking European thing which is no longer manufactured. Ideal holiday - walking in Switzerland or Angkor Wat.
• Celia - 35-50
  The fact that Celia is in the WI is the greatest justification of its existence. A woman more at home in a department store than a church hall, she may be slightly younger than Chris or the same age, but she always feels like she's drifted in from another world. Which she has. She is particularly enamoured of Jessie, and despite the fact Jessie has very little time for most Celias of this world, there is a rebelliousness in Celia to which Jessie responds. It's what sets Celia apart from the vapid materialism of her peer group and made her defect. Ideal car - Porsche, which she has. Ideal holiday - Maldives, where she often goes.
• Ruth - 40's
  Ruth's journey is from the false self-confidence of the emotionally abused to the genuine self-confidence of the woman happy in her own skin. Ruth is eager to please but not a rag doll, and despite being Marie's right-hand woman she is desperate to be the cartilage in the spine of the WI and keep everyone happy. She has spine herself - if she was too wet, no one would want her around. But they do, and they feel protective of her because they sense there is something better in Ruth than her life is letting out They are proved right. Ideal car - at the start, whatever Eddie wants; at the end, whatever she wants. Ideal holiday - at the start wherever Eddie is, at the end wherever he isn't. The Rabbit Costume: Ruth made this last night. It should be a cocktail of good intention and not enough time.
• Marie - 50's
  Marie has gradually built the current'Marie' around herself over the years as a defence mechanism. She went to her Oz, Cheshire, and found Oz didn't want her. She came back scorched. The WI is a trophy to her, which justifies her entire existence. There is a lingering part of Marie that would love to be on that calendar. Ideal car - something German and well-valeted. Ideal holiday - a quasi-academic tour of somewhere in Persia advertised in a Sunday Supplement which she could then interminably bang on about
• John - 50's
  John is a human sunflower. Not a saint. Not a hero. Just the kind of man you'd want in your car when crossing America. When he dies it feels like someone somewhere turned a light off.
• Rod - 50's
  You have to be a certain kind of guy to stick with Chris and Rod loves it. He can give back what he gets, and has a deadpan humour that has always made Chris laugh. He drinks a lot but never so much as to have a problem. He would work every hour to make his shop a success. And John was his mate, even though the relationship was originally channelled through their wives.
• Lawrence - 20's
  Hesitant without being nerdy, Lawrence is a shy young man with enough wit to make a joke and enough spirit to turn up at the WI hail in the first place. When he arranges the shots he is close to female nudity but sees only the photo.
• Lady Cravenshire - 60's
  Lady Cravenshire really doesn't mean to be so patronising. But the WI girls seem from another world. The world of her estate workers. Dress: when she makes an entrance, she must make an entrance. Largely white or cream to outplay the others, with a bigger hat than Marie. She is not a tweed-wearer. She must glide in like a galleon.
• Elaine - 20's
  Elaine really doesn't mean to be so patronising. But Jessie seems from another world. The world of her gran. Dress: her clinical whites slice through like a knife. You feel you could cut yourself on that dress.
• Liam - 20's
  Liam would like to be directing other things than photo-shoots for washing powders. He's not so unprofessional as to let it show, but we can sense a slight weariness at having to deal with these women. There's a resigned patience to his actions and each smile he makes we feel is professional. For Liam, this photo-shoot is a job. And not the job he wanted. Dress: avoid wearing shades inside a building. If you've gone down that route, you've made the weary boy a wide boy.

Accents

The women of the real calendar in truth came from many parts of the country. Actors should resist the pressure to perform any kind of Yorkshire pyrotechnics. Nothing compromises the truth of comedy like a slavish attention to vowel-sounds and dipthongs. It will become a pebble in the shoe.

If you can flatten the "a" so that giraffe no longer rhymes with scarf then that will be more than sufficient; but even that should not be championed over the intrinsic rhythm of the line. People travel. Communities are now gloriously multi-instrumental. Accents from Glasgow to Texas make the same part their own.

Auditions

The Audition will take place in the theatre foyer on Sunday 25th March 2012 at 10.30am.

Further details and reading copies may be obtained by contacting Steve Boden, the Director, via the Contact Us form.

Charley's Aunt

A Comedy by Brandon Thomas
Director: Richard Collett
Production Dates: 04 - 14 July 2012

Synopsis

This classic evergreen farce is set in Oxford during Commemoration Week. The imminent visit of Charles Wykeham's Aunt from Brazil, Donna Lucia, provides an excuse for Charles and Jack to invite their young ladies to meet her.

When a telegram arrives postponing Donna Lucia's visit, they persuade their amiable friend Babbs (since they must have a chaperon) to impersonate the aunt. Here the fun begins, Babbs thoroughly enjoys being kissed and caressed by the girls, and receiving their confidences, but finds his ingenuity is severely taxed when brought face to face with the real Donna Lucia.

Moreover, Donna Lucia amuses herself by concealing her identity while declaring that she knew Donna Lucia's husband most intimately. All ends, of course, most happily, and hymeneally....

Director's Comments

This will be certainly be a fun show to be involved with, there are lots of laughs and situations, and with a reasonably short rehearsal time too, it promises to be a great show to be involved in! Think of a stylised look with clipped accents, and don't forget - it is set in 1892, and it will be played faithfully to the original script. A variety of characters of varying ages are needed - the ages shown are "guideline" ages!

Cast

• Colonel Sir Francis Chesney, Bart. - Late Indian Service. 40's- 50's, Male.
• Stephen Spettigue - Solicitor, Oxford. 50's-60's, Male.
• Jack Chesney - Undergraduate at St. Olde's College, Oxford. 20's, Male.
• Charles Wykeham - Undergraduate at St. Olde's College, Oxford. 20's, Male.
• Lord Fancourt Babberley (Babbs) - also at St Olde's College, Oxford. 'Shorter', 20's, Male
• Brasset - A College Scout (Manservant). 40/50's, Male.
• Donna Lucia D'Alvadores - From Brazil. 40's-50's, Female.
• Kitty Verdun - Spettigue's Ward. 20's, Female.
• Amy Spettigue - Spettigue's Niece, 20's. Female.
• Ela Delahay - An Orphan. Late teens - early 20's, Female.

Auditions

Auditions will be held in the Theatre Foyer at the following times:

• Sunday 12 February at 3.00pm.
• Thursday 16 February at 7.30pm

If you would like a script in advance, please contact the Director, Richard Collett, via our Contact Us page.

PPresent Laughter

A Comedy by Noel Coward
Director: Dixie Atkins
Production Dates - 02 - 12 May 2012

Synopsys

Gary Essendine, famous actor, has it all: wealth, fame, good looks, and a tightlyknit group which panders to his every whim. The group consists of his friends, Henry and Morris, his ex-wife, Liz, and his secretary, Monica.

Trouble looms when Henry marries Joanna: young, beautiful and predatory. She is determined to break up the group. Having seduced Morris, she sets her sights on Gary. As Liz and Monica try to foil her plans, the situation becomes increasingly complicated.

Add a stage-struck girl and her battle-axe mother, a wildly-eccentric young writer, a Swedish housekeeper and a cheeky manservant, and you have all the ingredients for one of Coward’s funniest plays.

Cast

In the 13 months since the play was cancelled, circumstances have changed and some of the original cast are unavailable. Therefore, the following parts are available for audition:

• Daphne Stillington - Stage-struck & star-struck! Rich, spoiled, naïve but underneath lies determination and a strong will. 20's.
• Miss Erikson - Swedish housekeeper. Totally eccentric and unintentially funny. 40's - 60's.
  Doubles with Lady Saltburn - Daphne's Aunt. Upper class, charming and good-mannered in all circumstances.
• Morris Dixon - Garry's producer. Nervous, sentimental, always in love, usually with married ladies.
• Liz Essendine - wife to the central character, Garry. Intelligent, witty, sophisticated. Always in control, and the only one who can handle Garry. 30's-40's.

Auditions

Auditions will be held in the Rehearsal Studio at the following times:

• Thursday 03 November 2011 at 7.30pm
• Sunday 06 November 2011 at 3.30pm

For scripts please contact the Director, Dixie Atkins, via our contact us page.

A Musical by Victoria Wood
Director: Stephen Boden
Choreographer: Sue Biddle
Musical Director: Claire Tyler
Production Dates - 19 - 31 March 2012

Synopsys

Acorn Antiques was first seen on BBC Television 21 years ago and has been a firm favourite with the nation ever since.

The musical follows Miss Babs' struggle to keep her antiques business open, as shop after shop in the High Street is forced out by faceless chains... Can she afford to turn down the offer from The Guilty Bean (the world's second biggest chain of coffee shops - "We're second so we grind harder") and, if they do update the shop, can they still afford to employ Mrs Overall? And will Mr Clifford ever get his memory back, and remember who he's engaged to? And, most worryingly, will Mrs Overall be able to tap dance while holding the tray?

Cast

We are looking for a cast of ten female and eight males to take part in this brilliantly funny musical. All the cast will need to be able to sing well and some movement/dancing ability will be required! There is plenty to do for everyone in this show, even the smaller roles.

Principal Cast

• Miss Babs - the voluptuous, overwrought and lovelorn owner of Acorn Antiques, who moves from one 'crisis' to another. Played by Celia Imrie in the original tv series and musical. Age 20's - 40's
• Miss Berta - Miss Babs partner in Acorn Antiques and her sister. More frumpy than Miss Babs and desperate to find love again. Played by Victoria Wood in the tv series and Sally Anne Triplet on Stage. Age 20's - 40's
• Miss Bonnie - The third sister, who is desperate to turn Acorn Antiques into a coffee house. She is ruthless and business focussed and sharp. Age 20's - 40's
• Mrs Overall - the elderly tea lady, who believes all problems could be solved with a nice cup of tea, a macaroon and an anecdote. Turns out to be the mother of the three sisters, Miss Babs, Miss Berta and Miss Bonnie. Julie Walters [played the part on tv and in the musical. Age 40's - 60's
• Mr Clifford - the stolid, reliable leading man who is suffering from Amnesia. He supports the girls in the Antiques shop. Played by Duncan Preston in the tv series and musical. Age 40's-60's
• Hugh - young lad on the YTS scheme, sent to the Antique shop for training. Age late teens - early twenties
• Mimi - young lass on the YTS scheme, sent to the Antique shop for training. Age late teens - early twenties
• Tony - a loan shark, describes himself "my jaw is chiselled, my body is lean but my heart is cold..." Mid twenties

Secondary roles

• Christine - Proprietor of Christines Corsets - Any Age
• Miss Willoughby - Proprietor of Willoughby's Wools - Any Age
• Mr Furlong - Proprietor of Furlongs the Drapers - Any Age
• Minchins Lad - Young lad, the gofer at Minchin's Hardware Store
• Mr Watkins - A soberly dressed gentleman shopper - Age 40's-50's
• Derek - Mr Watkins' partner, slightly camp and flamboyant - Age 40's

Minor roles/Ensemble

• Miss Cuff - Lady shopper, a spinster - Age 50's-70's
• Miss Wellbelove - Lady shopper, a spinster - Age 50's-70's
• Postman - Young male
• Lucy - Young female, postman's girlfriend 

Auditions

Auditions will be held in the Rehearsal Studio at the following times:

• Sunday 02 October 2011 at 6.30pm
• Sunday 09 October 2011 at 6.30pm

We would like auditionees to attend both audition calls if possible. We will be holding a dance/movement call on Sunday 02 October, in addition to a company singing call. We shall discuss the characters and audition pieces ahead of the full auditions on Sunday 09 October.

For scripts, audition pieces, music and further information, please contact the Director, Steve Boden, via our contact us page.

A Comedy by Steven Canny & John Nicholson
Based on Authur Conan Doyle's original story
Production Dates - 01 - 11 February 2012

Synopsis 

An ancient family curse, a desolate moor, a spectral hound and a deranged killer on the loose. The Hound of the Baskervilles is a most celebrated Holmes story of all, a masterpiece of mystery and suspense.

All very familiar, but Steven Canny and John Nicolson’s 2007 adaptation turns the traditional story into a hilarious romp. Whilst true to the original story - all the characters are there Holmes, Watson, Mortimer, Sir Henry Baskerville, Stapleton, Mr & Mrs Barrymore (but not at the same time!) Cecille, and various yokes and others - the difference with this version is that all the characters are played by just 3 male actors. (Homes by an actor with a dodgy Spanish accent.)

With the help of wigs, beads and braids the 3 take us through the story from Baker Street to Baskerville House via the moor and all that it holds.

This is a hilarious script in the style of the recent “39 Steps” needing 3 very energetic and versatile actors to play the 16 characters in quick succession - sometimes more than one at once.

Readings

Readings will be held at the following times/locations:

• 25 September 2012 - 3.00pm - Theatre Foyer
• 29 September 2012 - 7.30pm - Rehearsal Studio

Interested in Auditioning?

Turn up to one (or both) of the readings above or, if you have any questions beforehand, contact the Director, John Evans, via the Contact Us page. The script is not published, but an electronic version is available should you wish to see it before auditioning - please contact John to obtain a copy.

Dick Whittinton

A Pantomime by Steve Boden
Directed by Mark Jefferies

Synopsis

This year's traditional family pantomime sees Dick Whittington set on a journey towards London to find streets paved with gold.

Along the way Dick meets a very friendly cat whose talents of ridding the house (where he has been taken in by Alderman Fitzwarren and his cook) of rats earns Dick the love of the beautiful Alice Fitzwarren. Unfortunately for Dick, this also angers King Rat who creates some unpleasant situations for Dick and his cat, sending them away to foreign lands for more adventures and on to a fairytale ending...

Auditions

Auditions will be held at the Priory Theatre on Sunday 19th June and Sunday 03rd July:

• 10.00am - 12.00pm for Children/Chorus
• 12.00pm - 2.00pm for Principles

Characters

The characters are:

• Dick Whittington - Our Hero - Traditional principal boy, so will be played by a female. Ideally 5’5" - 5’6" or taller, knee high boots, thighs, and a short tunic. Must be a strong singer.
• Fairy Bow Bells - Feisty cockney sparrow, she is the spirit of the bells and defender of goodness. Must be a strong singer and can be of any age.
• King Rat - East-end wide boy, and we mean wide (padding maybe needed). He is power mad, slightly megalomaniac. Character singing required and involved in some Comedy pieces.
• Dame Sarah the Cook - Traditional Dame. She is a cook and motherly figure to the Fitzwarrens. She quite fancies the Alderman, in fact any man for that matter. She MUST have a warmth and a good sense of fun. She will do a lot of the comedy and provide an anarchic thread to the story. She needs to connect to the story in a family-friendly way.
• Idle Jack - Comic. He is the comedian of the piece. Needs good comic timing and a warmth to the audience. He will get messy in the slap-stick scene and work closely with the Dame.
• Alderman Fitzwarren - Older man, the proprietor of Fitzwarren stores. He is looked upon by the townsfolk as a 'Leader' figure, but even he can’t keep control when London is invaded by a plague of rats.
• Alice Fitzwarren - Principal girl - she is the Alderman's daughter. Single, attractive, and attracts Dick in an instant. Must be a good singer.
• The Sultan of Morocco - He is muscular young and good looking. Maybe a rap singer or the like.
• Captain - Cunning and smart. Soon becomes King Rat’s henchman.
• Tommy the Cat - Needs to be a young athletic person, in tight skin with made up face, think Cats. Good physical skills required to portray this role.

There are also a number of chorus roles playing ghosts, rats, townsfolk, sea creatures, etc.

Interested in Auditioning?

Either turn up at one (or both) of the auditions or, if you have any questions beforehand, get in touch via the Contact Us page.

Alec Brown, the Director of The Unexpected Guest, is looking for an actor to play the part of the Sergeant.
Ideally, the role requires a slight Welsh accent and is for someone in their mid-30s (or has the appearance of being in your mid-30s), though the latter is not essential.

Rehearsals start in April, and the production runs from 22 June - 02 July.

If you are (or know of someone who may be) interested, please contact Alec using our Contact Us form.