Category: Winter 2012

The Lying Kind Audition Notice

Contact the directors at thelyingkind@kdctheatre.com
Tuesday 27th November – Saturday 1st December

1. Auditions

Auditions will take place from 6.30pm for a 7pm start on 17th, 18th and 19th September 2012 at the St Brides Foundation, 14 Bride Lane, City of London, EC4Y 8EQ. You do not need to register for auditions or prepare anything in advance. Please come on whichever day suits you.

Recalls will be on Saturday 22nd September at the Clean Break Studios, 2 Patshull Road, NW5 2LB. If we’d like to see you at the recalls we’ll call you on Thursday 20th September to let you know. Again, there’s nothing you need to prepare of you’re recalled.

Both first round auditions and recalls will be a mixture of improvisation games and script work. You’ll be given time to prepare everything. We’ll be looking for comic timing, physical comedy, good partnerships and most of all, enthusiasm.

Check the KDC theatre website for maps of both venues – www.kdctheatre.com

2. Show Dates

There will be two dress rehearsals and we’ll need you all day for both of those – Sunday 25th November and Monday 26th November. If you’re a working person that will mean taking Monday off.

We’ll be performing from Tuesday 27th November to Saturday 1st December 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.

3. Rehearsals

Rehearsals will be in Farringdon/Blackfriars (locations TBC) on Sundays (midday-4pm or 4pm-8m), Mondays 7pm-9pm and Wednesdays 7pm-9pm. We’ll work around any prior commitments you have as much as possible but please note that in the last fews weeks we’ll need everyone for all rehearsals.

4. Synopsis

Its Christmas Eve and well-meaning but inept coppers Blunt and Gobbel have one last job for the night; tell impossibly old couple Garson and Balthasar that their only daughter has died in a car crash. Understandably they’re not too keen on the idea and when they finally get the words out, the elderly pair gets completely the wrong end of the stick.

Desperate to set the record straight the blundering twosome set in a motion a chain of unexpected events which need covering up, and quickly. Mild-mannered Reverend Shandy has popped round to offer his condolences, potty-mouthed vigilante Gronya is on the hunt for the local paedophile, and her equally unpleasant daughter just so happens to have the same name as the deceased.

First performed at the Royal Court in 2002, The Lying Kind is a deliciously dark farce that we’ll be playing for laughs. We’ve been inspired by comedy new and old from the League of Gentlemen and Black Books, to Monty Python and Morecambe & Wise.

It’s also a really physical piece so we’ll be looking for people who can throw themselves into a fight with an imaginary dog, or take a knock from a truncheon and fall to the floor like a stack of bricks.

Finally we’re on the lookout for people who’ve got ideas to share – we know how certain aspects of the piece will look but we need actors who’ll play around with our ideas and fill in the gaps.

5. Cast

We’ve listed playing ages below and that’s exactly what they are – we’re very happy to cast younger people as Garson and Balthasar if you can master the physicality. Equally the two policeman and Reverend Shandy can be any age. It’s only Gronya and her daughter Carol that need to have the appropriate age gap between them.

Gobbel (m/f, playing age 20-40) – The more excitable and less able of the two policeman. Think Father Dougal from Father Ted, or Alice from The Vicar of Dibley.

Blunt (m, playing age 20-40) – Sees himself as the senior officer of the pair but there’s not much in it. Think Bernard from Black Books or Ernie Wise.

Gronya (m/f, playing age 35-50) – A formidable woman with a filthy mouth and a temper to match. Think a foul-mouthed Mrs Trunchbull from Matilda.

Garson (f, playing age 60-80) – Elderly and easily confused. Garson has a habit of hallucinating and a penchant for showing her undies to anyone who’ll look. We’ll use make up to make her look old but you’ll need to be able to get the physicality right. Think Julie Walters in the Two Soups sketch.

Balthasar (m, playing age 60-80) – Garson’s husband. Exasperated by the interruption to his evening and almost as confused as his wife. We’ll use make up here too but again you need to get the physicality right. Think Victor Meldrew.

Reverend Shandy (m, playing age 20-60) – Every inch the model vicar until provoked when he reveals a surprisingly powerful voice. Gets hit over the head more than most. Think Father Ted.

Carol (f, playing age late teens) – Gronya’s daughter and you can tell – she’s got some choice phrases up her sleeve. Think Vicky Pollard from Little Britain.

The Priory Audition Notice

Contact the director at thepriory@kdctheatre.com
Tuesday 4th December – Saturday 8th December

1. Introduction

Auditions will take place from 6.30pm for a 7pm start on 17th, 18th, 19th September 2012, with recalls on Saturday 22nd September 2012. Auditions will be at the St Brides Foundation, 14 Bride Lane, City of London, EC4Y 8EQ. Check the KDC theatre website for further details.

In order to be considered for this production, you must be available in the evenings for all of the performance dates (4th-8th December 2012), and all day Saturday 1st and Monday 3rd of December. Rehearsals will be in the City of London (locations TBC) on Saturdays (11am until 4pm), Monday 7pm- 9.30pm and Wednesdays 7pm-9.30pm. You will need to attend the majority of rehearsals for which you are called. Unfortunately, if you are unable to attend rehearsals on Saturdays you will not be cast in this show. If dates you cannot attend are not put on your audition form, we may in extreme cases have to reconsider casting.

Synopsis
A group of thirty-something friends and their partners get together for a New Years Eve weekend. Friendships are tested and begin to unravel as the frustrations that have previously prolonged a reunion come to a head. The play won the 2010 Laurence Olivier Award for best comedy following its 2009 debut at the Royal Court.

Director: Charles Golding – I have acted for KDC, The Tower, SEDOS and Southside Players in numerous roles. I have directed for KDC, SEDOS and my own company So it Goes…Theatre. I enjoy working in an energetic, collaborative manner, aiming to bring imagination and the unexpected to my productions.

Assistant Director: Douglas Baker – Experienced director of both film and theatre and Charles’ partner in So it Goes. This is the fourth time we have worked together.

2. Playing Ages & Description

Cast size: 7 (3 female, 4 male) –

Kate (25-35) – Working as a teacher with aspirations to be a full-time writer. Introspective, intelligent. Former partner of Carl.

Laura (18-25) – Seemingly a materialistic bimbo, she ends up being the most profound character. Fiancée of Ben.

Rebecca (30-40) – Career driven, psychopathically success orientated mother. Funniest character. Wife of Carl.

Adam (18-23) – Young internet date of Daniel. Arrogant, flippant and cool.

Ben (25-35) – Cocky, self absorbed hipster who never really left his gap year and is starting to look a touch tragic.

Carl (28-40) – Out of work actor whose best days appear behind him. Dominated by his wife Rebecca.

Daniel (25-35) – On the surface a successful good-humoured architect but underneath, neurotic and lacking confidence. Casting will be aged up or down depending on the main demographic of people auditioning.

3. First Round Auditions

The first round auditions will be a series of fast-paced, challenging drama games that will look to test stage-craft, comedy timing, awareness of others, concentration and vocal ability (non-singing). Everyone will be involved equally and the aim will be for people to have as much fun and as much chance to show off their skills as possible. Enthusiasm is one of the most essential qualities we are looking for.

4. Recall Audition Pieces

Recalls are by invitation only. Don’t worry, there is no need to learn any of the pieces in advance. We will tell you which piece to look at in more detail if you are asked to attend the recall.

You will note that the pieces below are quite short. We are anticipating a good turn out for our winter auditions and therefore time will be limited. Short audition pieces allow us to give everyone a fair audition time. We will not require any other pieces you may already have learnt. In the audition you will first be asked to perform the text and may then be asked to repeat with some direction.

Kate – ‘I had a nice time. Just did what I wanted to do. It was only when I was watching a film on Christmas Day and there was a little message along the bottom of the screen saying, ‘Are you alone? Depressed? If you are call…’ Well, I wasn’t, but I am now. Had a little cry. Well, quite a big one. Even looking at myself crying in the mirror, getting off on the drama of it all. Then I just drank red wine and ate cheese. So much cheese you wouldn’t believe it. Took a sleeping tablet, went to bed. All good. Christmas over.’

Rebecca – ‘Well, he’ll have an eye-opener once the baby comes along. That’ll test them. He’s having a mid-life crisis. She’s just out of nappies herself, it won’t work. The hardest thing you’ll ever do. Ours are going through a right thing at the moment. Especially Clemmie. She’s turned against her best friend, Scarlett, at nursery. Been so nasty to her. Saying she’s ugly and her games are boring. She’s got a point, her games are dull and she’s not the prettiest, but it is awful.’

Daniel – ‘You never know if it’s going to work out. What they’ll be like. If they’ll like you. And you’ve got this whole idea of them, whole fantasy, but you’ve never actually met. You start second guessing them. Saying stuff you think they’ll want to hear so they’ll like you. Little shit. We should check we haven’t been robbed. I’m serious, that’s probably why he was here. Which rooms did he go in? My jacket, he’s stolen my fuck*n’ jacket. It was on the back of that chair. ‘

Laura – ‘You don’t have to believe in God, as God. You know, a big man in the clouds with a white beard. You just have to believe in something outside of yourself. So this glass of wine, no, not that. My shoe could be God and I’d pray to that. I quite like that, praying to a big Balenciaga shoe. Aren’t they beautiful. I’m not going to tell you how much they cost. It’s like the law of attraction, isn’t it? Everything you bring into your life you ask for. Even when you don’t think you’re praying you are, you’re asking for it…’

Adam – ‘You never know what you’re gonna get when you meet blokes off the internet. They hardly ever look like their photo. But he’s just…We’ve been chatting for a few weeks and he seemed really keen. Always online, even during the day when he’s at work. Replies straight away. I liked that. And it all started getting a bit sexy, dirty, you know. Him saying what we were gonna do. It’s alright. We’d got into that sexy texting and it was good, really good. That’s why I’m here.’

Carl – ‘She says I should run my own garden centre or become a TV Gardner. I can’t just be a bloke who works in a garden centre. You know, since Rebecca has had her success more people acknowledge me now. Directors and actors who I hardly know, or who’d decided I had the whiff of failure about me, can’t get enough of me now. After this book, they’ll be all over you. Success is overrated anyway. Look at Rebecca. She’s miserable most of the time.’

Ben – Refer to pieces for Carl and Adam.

Dracula – Cast List

Thank you to all those who auditioned and congratulations to the cast. Next KDC auditions will be after the summer for the to-be-announced winter season.

Dracula Cast and Crew

Director – Duncan Moore
Producer – Sally Wilks
Assistant Director – Steph Urquhart

Mina Westerman – Anna Marx
Lucy Westerman – Catherine Kolubayev
Florrie Hathersage – Kate Moore
Nurce Nisbett/Grice – Su Vigus
Jonathan Harker – Jimi Odell
Doctor Arthur Seward – William Baltyn
Count Vlad Dracula – Alan Maddrell
Van Helsing – Chris Stooke
Renfield – Marcus Mollan
Drinkwater – Mark Ewins

Dracula Auditions – reminder

First round auditions for Dracula will be held on the 12th and 13th of June at the St Brides Foundation (details on our venues page). Please come along on whichever day suits you best and arrive at 6.30pm for a 7pm start. We’ll be finished by 9pm.

Recalls are by invitation only and will be held at the Hoop and Grapes. They’ll start at midday and will end around 4pm. You’ll be called in the week if the director would like to see you at the recalls.

Remember, auditions are free and you don’t need to bring a headshot or prepare anything in advance. Just come along and have fun!

Dracula

Dracula
directed by Duncan Moore

30 October – 3 November 2012 (auditions 12 & 13 June 2012)
Auditions at St Bride’s Foundation. See our venues page for address and map.

Count Dracula is one of the world’s most famous literary creations. Bram Stoker’s novel has inspired and spawned many adaptations.

Liz Lochhead, Scotland’s current National Poet, adapted the novel for the stage in 1985. To write her adaptation, she immersed herself in Stoker’s book.

We will be leaving Hammer Horror behind with this production. Bar a couple of major character changes, Lochhead’s adaptation sticks fairly close to Stoker’s novel. Therefore there will be plenty of blood and chills but more importantly we have a great story to tell and great complex characters to be played.

In the introduction to her script Lochhead wrote on reading Stoker’s original:

“After a sleepless night my hair was standing on end, what with the mad Renfield in his lunatic asylum eating flies and playing John the Baptist to his coming master … and with Lucy’s description of her “dream” of flying with the red-eyed one above the lighthouse at Whitby, and Jonathan’s “dream” of the three Vampire Brides’ advances upon him and of their being repelled at the last minute by the furious Dracula.

Still, what really attracted me to the story was Rule One for becoming a vampire-victim – ‘First of all you have to invite him in’”

Dracula Characters

Those involved in the Summer Season can audition for Dracula, the first show in the Winter Season.

Characters:

  • Mina Westerman – Mina is strong, assertive, protective and loyal. Mina fights for progressive attitudes towards women and class, while at the same time being concerned about protecting her role and her family’s role in society. She is far stronger and braver than she knows. (Female,  20s)
  • Lucy Westerman  – Mina’s younger sister, “dreaming her young girl dreams” Lucy, even though not a child, has a fresh innocent childlike quality to her, though her topics of conversation are often anything but childlike. She is vivacious and flirtatious. Also plays Vampire Bride 3. (Female, 18-25)
  • Florrie Hathersage – Westerman’s new maid. “She is very pretty and just a little nervous”.  Florrie is counsel to both sisters throughout the story.  She also has her own story – the ‘downstairs’ part of the play to the Westerman’s ‘upstairs’ story. Also plays Vampire Bride 2. (Female, 18-30)
  • Nurse Nisbett / Nurse Grice – one actress playing two very different nurses who work at Bedlam. One nurse is a sadist the other a masochist. Also plays Vampire Bride 3. (Female, 25-40)
  • Jonathan Harker – A solicitor, keen to impress. An English gentleman (still wet behind the ears) from a public school. Naïve. Has to find strength to survive. (Male, 20-30)
  • Doctor Arthur Seward – A talented doctor, formerly Van Helsing’s pupil. Strict but fair. Married to his job, loves it and lives for it. Is, without his knowing, a romantic at heart.  Has to battle his scientific beliefs and values against those of superstition and vampires. (Male, 28-36)
  • Count Vlad Dracula – a role that is impossible to describe in just a few words.  The actor playing Dracula will need a lot of stage presence as well as the guts to take on, and not be scared by, the role and the audience’s pre-conceived ideas.  The actor will need to be able to do/learn an Eastern European accent. (Male, any age)
  • Van Helsing – A Dutch professor, described by his former pupil Dr. Seward as “a philosopher and metaphysician, and one of the most advanced scientists of his day.”  Not fearless but knows that fear is to be respected and must be confronted. Again presence is very important for this role.  The actor will need to be able to do/learn a Dutch accent.  (Male, 40 +)
  • Renfield – A patient in bedlam. “He rocks back and forth, he sometimes catcalls and chants. He is presently gabbling manically.”  This is not a comic role (it’s often played as comic relief).  A very intense role.  Again it needs an actor that is not scared of taking on such an iconic character from Dracula mythology. The actor will need a lot of energy and stamina. (Male, any age)
  • Orderly Drinkwater – a silent role. An orderly at Bedlam and perhaps the only sane person there.  Drinkwater is silent for a reason not because the character is a small role. (Male or female, 25-40)

Pitches Needed for KDC’s Winter Warmer Season!

We may well be about to launch our Summer Sizzler Season, but we are also looking ahead to warming our cockles in Winter 2012. We will be at the Lion and Unicorn in Kentish Town for the last 2 weeks in November and are looking for lighthearted and comedic plays to end the year on.

The only things that we would ask are that the plays have plenty of roles for our actors to throw themselves at (say, around 8 or more, but we are open) and that our strongest demographic, young female actors, are not relegated to the odd word in the background. The more equally divided the roles, the better!

If you have a show to pitch or would like to get your mind moving on it all, please could you get in contact with Emma Knott, Artistic Director at artistic@kdctheatre.com BEFORE the 25th May so that we can get the ball rolling!

We look forward to hearing from you