Description:

Author: Alan Ayckbourn

Director: Peter Roberts

Enquiries: 0407103613

Characters Summary: 2F(30-40)2M(30-40)1F(30) 1M(30)

Characters: CAST

All characters (Save John/ Evelyn) are late 30s to late 40s with the characters of John, and especially Evelyn, somewhat younger than the others.

Diana
Wife to Paul. A woman on the edge. She's reached the end of what she sees as her useful life. A life she has devoted to her husband, her home and her children.

Evelyn
John's wife, a young mother. A different generation to Diana. She has recently had a brief thing with Paul, Diana's husband.

Marge
Wife of the unseen and ill Gordon. Friends with Diana. Her desperate, unfulfilled desire for children has led her to make a child of her unseen, constantly ailing and seemingly helpless husband, Gordon. She spends a lot of time on the phone to him during the play.

Paul
A friend of Colin; Husband of Diana. A successful self-made businessman, egotistical, somewhat self-deluded and something of a bully.

John
Friend and incompetent business partner of Paul. Cuckolded husband of Evelyn. He is all nervous energy and forever busy with various projects. Constantly jiggling.

Colin
The reason for this party and the catalyst of the drama. He has recently lost his fiancee - Carol, the love of his life, in a dreadful accident.

Precast Characters: None

Audition Venue: Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre, Castella Street Lilydale

Theatre: Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre, Castella Street Lilydale

Company Email:

Company Website: http://lilydaleatc.com/

Synopsis: Diana has organised a tea party for Colin, an old friend of her husband Paul. Colin's fiancee has recently drowned and the aim is to cheer him up with a gathering of old friends Paul, John and Gordon. Gordon is, typically, ill and his wife Marge turns up instead, while Paul and John are less than enthusiastic about the party.

Set very much in the early to mid-1970s at a time of great social change including the changing roles and opportunities for women and the sexual revolution, this play is often referred to as the original cringe comedy. The guests try not to say the wrong thing around the bereaved Colin at the same time as trying, ultimately without success, to maintain their delicate veneer of civility.

The play was a change of direction for Aykbourne. It takes place in real time over the period of a couple of hours. This gives the play tremendous tension leading up to its hilarious, despairing climax and provides a wonderful emotional ride for the actors and audience.

Other Information:

AUDITION INFORMATION

To book an audition email emcarter.productions@gmail.com
You will be asked to read two short scenes from the play with the director or another actor.
Arrive in plenty of time before your allotted time so that you have time read through the scripts which will be available to you in the waiting area.
Demonstrate a capacity to speak in a lower middle-class English accent. You dont have to nail it on the day but show a capacity to develop it.

CALLBACKS(if necessary)
If called back, you will be asked to read the same scenes with another auditionee.

REHEARSALS
SUNDAY: 2.00-5.00
TUESDAY: 7.30-10.30
THURSDAY: 7.30-10.30