What the Dickens?
Lion & Unicorn Theatre
29 October – 9 November 2013
(excluding 3 and 4 November)
By Amy Bird, Andy Marchant, Carl Fletcher, Frances Bushe, Jimi Odell, Julia Collier, Kathy Petrakis and Mary Groom
Directed by Andy Marchant, Jacqui Adams and Kim Morrison
KDC Theatre returns to our friends Giant Olive at The Lion and Unicorn in Kentish Town this Halloween. Following last year’s sell out run of Dracula, we are returning with 8 chilling tales from Charles Dickens.
Last Halloween we set a challenge to our membership to adapt some of Dickens’ ghost stories that he loved so much into scripts. The results were so fun, that we decided to stage 8 of them in another Halloween season!
In this document you will find out all about the plays And what we are looking for cast-wise.
What is the show?
Well actually, it’s two shows, under one production name. The first collects a series of Victorian Ghost Stories, and the second is a series of modernised ones.
Rather than running a week of one set of plays, then a week of another, we have decided to alternate the nights, to really push them together as an “event” (so instead of “WEEK ONE – Victorian, WEEK TWO – Modern”, it’s “TUESDAY – Victorian, WEDNESDAY – Modern, THURSDAY – Victorian”, etc)
What this means is that there will be the potential to cross over on the casting, and for any of our members who are cast and are up for it to be performing over TWO weeks (there would be a break between on the Sunday and Monday) meaning that your mates could get the chance to see you in different productions TWICE in as many weeks.
But the ultimate objective here is to give our writers some exposure, our acting members an opportunity to get into the Halloween (hoho) “spirit” and also:
To do some chilling spectral stories and have a LOT of fun doing it.
Casting
The auditions for the show will be on 2 (19:15-21:15) and 4 July (19:00-21:00).
There will be a recall on 6 July which will be invite only, and will run from 12pm – 4pm.
The venue for these auditions will be the St Brides Institute, Blackfriars Room (2nd) and The Foundry (4th). Details on our venues page.
If you do not hear from us about a recall, don’t worry, there are lots of roles to cast and we may just not need to see any more from you.
If you are cast you will hear on the Saturday, and if not, a member of the committee will be in contact on the Sunday.
As with all KDC Shows, we ask our acting members for a participation fee of £70 (£35 concessions) if you are cast. However, please note that as a special incentive, this payment will also cover you if you have been cast in the Spring or Summer 2013 Seasons, you don’t pay a thing!
PLEASE NOTE:
EVEN THOUGH THE AUDITIONS ARE IN JUNE, REHEARSALS WILL START IN AUGUST, SO IF YOU ARE INVOLVED IN THE SUMMER SEASON, YOU WILL STILL BE ABLE TO AUDITION!
DUE TO THE TIMING OF “WHAT THE DICKENS?”, ANYONE CAST WILL NOT BE ABLE TO AUDITION FOR OUR WINTER 2013 SEASON.
You do not need to register for auditions or prepare anything in advance. Please come on whichever day suits you. We will be looking for a cast of around 20 actors.
Ensemble
This is a very important role in the production. Several of the plays have a background/choral/ensemble element, so we will be auditioning for a group of around 8 actors who can help move between being extras in one play, and specific smaller roles in another, and more. It means we are looking for a tight group who work together well and can support one another to maintain the mood. Ideally ensemble performers will be free for the entirety of the production so that they can span both shows.
In addition to this there are key roles within each play that drive the stories.
Til Death (key roles, 1m, 1f)
A madman in an institution relives the circumstances of his incarceration.
The White Wreck (key roles, 1m, 1f)
A young woman lives in fear of her home as her guardian schemes against her.
The Signal Man (key roles, 2m)
A man strikes up a friendship with a Signalman haunted by visions.
The Mother’s Eyes (key roles, 2m, 1f)
A couple recount the horrific disappearance of a child in their care.
The Lawyer and the Ghost (key roles, 2m – no ensemble)
A lawyer finds his new digs haunted by an inconvenient spirit.
The Portrait and the Shade (key roles, 1m, 2f)
A painter pitches a TV executive his encounter with a mysterious lady.
Sir Simon of Soho (key roles, 1m, 1f)
A playboy millionaire finds himself being pushed into despair
The Goblins Who Stole a Sexton (key roles 1m, 1f)
A woman tells her husband about the monsters that stalk her family