Category: An Ideal Husband
An Ideal Husband Cast Biographies
Tom McMahon as Robert Chiltern
Acting has been a pastime of Tom’s since he was at primary school where he took on the notable role of French Hen in a telling of The Twelve Days of Christmas. He kept it up ever since: during his first week at university he made the mistake of going along to an audition for The History Boys and thenceforth had to balance three years of Mathematics and Amateur Dramatics, taking on roles which included Edmund in King Lear, Dr Hyman in Broken Glass and Rupert Cadell in Rope. Theatrical interests transcending acting; he also produced and presented the company’s weekly radio play, produced its biennial “24 Hour Charity Musical” and was even known to paint a door from time to time, although only under strict supervision and after copious demonstrative training. He now enjoys a riveting life in Civil Service and is thoroughly enjoying his debut with KDC.
Sarah Mannion as Gertrude Chiltern
Sarah is delighted to be returning to KDC after a four year absence from treading the boards. Prior to this period of self-inflicted darkness, she played Elizabeth Wilmot in The Libertine and Lily/Flo in Alfie for KDC. Other previous roles include Irina in The Three Sisters and Lucienne in A Flea in Her Ear (Questors Theatre, London), Alaura/Carla in City of Angels, Velma in West Side Story and Letter Quintet Soprano/Chorus in Sweeney Todd (Gala Theatre, Durham) as well as numerous other musical theatre roles. Having worked in theatre management for the past five years, she is currently studying for a Masters in Culture, Policy and Management at City University.
Sarah Beebe as Mrs Cheveley
Sarah Beebe is marking her return to KDC, having been seen with them as Escalus in Measure for Measure, and earlier in All’s Well That Ends Well and Electra. Having most recently played a Witch in SEDOS’ Macbeth, her villainy points are rapidly increasing. She is therefore utterly delighted to be playing “the brilliant Mrs Cheveley,” one of her dream roles since first learning the meaning of a femme fatale.
Peter Cabrera as Lord Goring
Peter’s first performance with KDC was in The Tamer Tamed at the Lion and Unicorn, playing “the comic relief” Jacques in 2012. Subsequently, he appeared as Napoleon Bonaparte and the Lieutenant in The Man of Destiny by G.B. Shaw at the Bridewell Theatre (swapping roles on alternate nights) as well as producing Sister Mary Ignatius Explains It All For You for KDC. Last year, Peter played the Runner in The 17 Greatest Dates of Matthew Reading, an independently-produced feature film which premiered at The Riverside Studios in Hammersmith in the Summer. Most recently, last October, Peter played two roles in KDC’s What the Dickens, a series of ghost stories for Halloween. By day, Peter works in the City, but prefers not to draw attention to the fact.
Laura Horton as Mabel
Laura is delighted to be making her KDC debut with the lovely cast of An Ideal Husband this season. Since her first role at the tender age of 6 as a dung beetle, Laura’s performing career has gone from strength to strength. With a penchant for musical theatre, past favourite roles include: Maureen in Rent, Cathy in The Last 5 Years, and less conventionally, Margaret Thatcher (!) in The Beggar’s Opera… Consequently, Laura is looking forward to giving her vocal cords a rest this season.
When she is not onstage, Laura teaches History to a motley crew of 11-18 year olds. It’s a bit like acting, except the audience sometimes don’t want to be there and there’s substantially more heckling.
Clive fell in love acting in 1972 whilst masquerading as an economist in New Zealand. He performed in several plays and even managed a cameo role in Close to Home a TV soap. There then followed a fascinating 40 year detour through the “real world” of corporate banking, journalism, TV production and political consultancy before KDC allowed him to return to his true love as the grizzly Billie in Demolition in Progress in 2011. His more recent roles include: Petronius in The Tamer Tamed (KDC) , Harold in Singles (South London Theatre), Benedict in Rumble (Beyond Theatre) and Sir George Young in Tartuffe (Cockpit Theatre) Clive is relishing the role of the intimidating, severe but genial and flirtatious Lord Caversham.
Gerry Skeens as Lady Markby
Gerry’s favourite EVER part was Kath in Entertaining Mr Sloane when she was far too young. Recent roles include: For Sedos: Ghastly Countess in Gormenghast ; Dumb Mum in Autobahn ; Sweary Veronica in Interception. Also: Beline in The Hypochondriac ( Putney); Filumena in Filumena (Common Touch); Barbara in Pack of Lies ( Network); Carabosse in Sleeping Beauty ( Southfields Theatre Group – STG) and Martha in Who’s Afraid of Virgina Woolf ( FinGer productions). She is currently directing/ part-writing a Revue The Last 5 Years for STG and will be appearing for them as Florence in The Vortex in July. She is looking forward to being swathed in fur as Lady Markby and talking utter nonsense.
Saria Babiker as Lady Basildon
Saria started her acting career at 15 as part of The Bull Youth Theatre in Barnet, plating such roles as Fraulein Schneider in Cabaret. Whilst embarking on her nursing career, she progressed through the theatrical ranks to become a member of The Actors Company at Arts Depot in North Finchley. She has played a variety of roles including Snug in A Midsummer Night’s Deam, Jedediah Shultz and Zubaida Ula in The Laramie Project, sister 2 in Beauty and the Beast and Wife in Blood Wedding. This is Saria’s first production for KDC, in which she is making her debut as the incorrigible flirt, Lady Basildon.
Becky Golding as Mrs Marchmont
Becky Golding started acting with the London based Carlton Players (originally a civil service group) in 1999. Among her roles have been Jenny in The Jenny Johnson Show, Harriet in The Lightening Play and Maureen in Stags and Hens and she received the London Civil Service best actress award for playing Emily Wilding Davison in 2002 in Diary from Clapham an original play by Karen Monid. Becky’s roles have involved many different accents, weapons and characters ranging from the Angel Gabriel through glamour model to murderer but never any Oscar Wilde! So Becky is now thrilled to be cast as hard core party girl Mrs Marchmont and enjoying working with the KDC team.
Will Lewis as Phipps
Will Lewis has loved performing ever since he can remember and has played a toad, outlaw, sergeant, clown, rapper, security guard and even a bullying photocopier… his proudest role however, was recently, as a real life wheelchair user describing his experience of abuse as a disabled man. After being distracted by a “proper” office job in television, Will is now building a career as an actor and has appeared in theatre, television, shorts and corporate films. This will be the second time he is playing a servant to aristocracy, having been an adviser to Queen Victoria. Downton Abbey beckons…
The Cast & Crew
An Ideal Husband Tickets
Lord Goring is a wastrel and philandering socialite. His closest friend is a young and well-regarded politician who is considered to be a humanitarian, and even more, an ideal husband. When a new and unwelcome character comes into his life however, Robert Chiltern, the politician in question, finds the dark secrets of his earlier days at risk of being exposed. As the events unfold Goring, finds himself in the middle of the crisis, called on for help from all sides, whilst trying to consider what makes a person truly ideal.
This production will be a modernisation of ‘An Ideal Husband’, relocated in contemporary Russian high society – long coats and fur hats, but still full of all the witticisms you’d hope for from Oscar Wilde, whose own secrets and struggles with the “high moral tone” expected of him live on through Lord Goring.
An Ideal Husband Cast List
The cast of An Ideal Husband, directed by Richard Jaques:
Sir Robert Chitern – Tom McMahon
Lady Gertrude Chiltern – Sarah Mannion
Mrs Cheveley – Sarah Beebe
Lord Goring – Peter Cabrera
Mabel Chiltern – Laura Horton
Lord Caversham – Clive Eliot
Lady Markby – Gerry Skeens
Lady Basildon – Saria Babiker
Mrs Marchmont – Becky Golding
Phipps – Will Lewis
Assistant Director – Kim Morrison
An Ideal Husband – Audition Notice
by Oscar Wilde
Directed by Richard Jaques
Tuesday 18 – Saturday 22 March
The Lion & Unicorn Theatre
1. Auditions
Date: 14th, 15th & 16th January. Please come on whichever day suits you Time: 6.30pm (we will start promptly!)
Venue: Clean Break Studios, 2 Patshull Road, Kentish Town, NW5 2LB. The nearest tube is Kentish Town
Recalls will be on Saturday 18th January from 10.30am to 2.30pm. You will be called on Friday 17th if we’d like to see you again.
2. Show Dates
We’ll be performing from Tuesday 18th to Saturday 22nd March at The Lion & Unicorn Theatre in Kentish Town. The shows will start at 7.30pm and you’ll need to be at the theatre at least an hour beforehand. The dress rehearsal will be on Monday 17th March. You will need to be free from midday onwards, possibly all day.
3. Rehearsals
Rehearsals will be on Monday and Wednesday evenings and Sunday afternoons/ evenings. All rehearsals will be in central London.
You will not be required to prepare anything for the audition at all. There will be some script work and readings, so the best thing to do is just be yourselves on top form.
4. Synopsis
The basic premise of ‘An Ideal Husband’ is this: Lord Goring is a London wastrel, whose closest friend is a young and well-regarded politician. Not only that, but he is considered to be an ideal husband and humanitarian as well.
When an outside and unwelcome character comes into his life however, Robert Chiltern, the politician in question, finds some dark secrets of his earlier days at risk of being exposed.
As the events unfold around Goring, he finds himself called to help, as well as to consider what makes a person truly ideal.
This production will be a modernisation of ‘An Ideal Husband’, resetting it in contemporary Russian high society – long coats and fur hats as well as pushing the subtext of autobiographic account of Oscar Wilde though Lord Goring.
This dazzling blend of farce and morality revolves around the lives of two men: a successful political figure and his philandering friend. One has a secret scandal in his past.
Although ‘An Ideal Husband’ is full of all the witticisms you’d hope for from Oscar Wilde, the subject matter is more serious than you might expect.
Penned at a time when Oscar Wilde was having an illegal relationship makes it poignant that, acceptance and forgiveness, are at the heart of the play.
5. Cast Breakdown
Sir Robert Chiltern (M 30s)
Best friends with Viscount Goring, less wealthy, but educated with Viscount Goring and knows that Viscount Goring is gay. Sir Robert is the play’s “tragic” hero, a government official who owes his success and fortune to secret scandal. Love has driven him to hide his past in the desperate hope of remaining the ideal husband to his wife. Conscious of what his success has cost him; Sir Robert suffers from a decidedly nervous and harried temperament.
Lady Gertrude Chiltern (F 20s)
Naive but dominate over her husband. Lady Chiltern embodies the Victorian new woman: upright, virtuous, educated, politically engaged, and active in her husband’s career. She is the play’s sentimental heroine, a sort of moral absolutist who worships her ideal husband and cannot brook the revelation of his secret past.
Mrs. Cheveley (F 20s – 30s)
One of the play’s wittiest and most well dressed characters, Mrs Cheveley is the vicious and opportunistic villainess, who values wealth and power above all. Mrs Cheveley is the “unnatural” union of daytime genius and night-time beauty.
Lord Goring (M 30s)
Based on Oscar Wilde, the Earl’s son, oppressed by the Earl. Of impeccable dress and inimitable wit, Lord Goring is the play’s thirty-something dandified philosopher, an idle aristocrat who serves as a thinly veiled double for Wilde himself. Irreverent, wry, and dangerously clever, Goring “plays with the world” and in doing so rejects ideals of duty, respectability, and responsibility. Lord Goring is the central character around whom all the action happens.
Mabel Chiltern (F 18s – 25s)
An exemplar of English prettiness, Mabel, Sir Robert’s younger sister, embodies what Wilde describes as the “fascinating tyranny of youth” and “astonishing courage of innocence.” Pert and clever, Mabel flirtatiously matches Lord Goring’s wit throughout the play.
Lord Caversham (M 50s – 60s)
Based on Vladimir Putin for this production, a large fella. A symbol of oppression. Father to Lord Goring, Lord Caversham, is a stuffy, serious, and respectable gentleman who is firmly opposed to the excesses of his dandified son. Continually he urges his son to marry and adopt a career, posing Sir Robert as model.
Lady Markby (F 40 – 60)
A pleasant and popular woman with “gray hair à la marquise and good lace,” Lady Markby is emblematic of an older generation of Society women, bemoaning the effect of politics and the higher education of women on married life.
Lady Basildon and Mrs. Marchmont (F 30s-40s)
They smaller roles who frivolously banter on a number of topics throughout Act I; notable ones include the dreariness of politics, being serious, education, and so on. They are perhaps more decorative than anything else, though—as the insightfulness of their conversations suggests—one can never underestimate the decorative on Wilde’s stage.
Phipps (M any age)
A “mask with a manner” who serves Lord Goring. Phipps is the ideal butler. Absolutely impassive, he reveals nothing of his intellect or emotions and “represents the dominance of form.” Phipps will also step in for other “servant” moments.