SLT Audition

Auditions: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

By William Shakespeare

Audition one

Date: 5 Nov 2023

Time: 10:00 - 12:45

Location: SLT - SE27 9NS

Audition two

Date: 6 Nov 2023

Time: 20:00 - 22:00

Location: SLT - SE27 9NS

Visually modern but with the classic text.

The wedding of Theseus (local Duke) and Hippolyta is being planned (which is a big deal, think grand wedding of one of the minor royals).

Meanwhile, the successful business owner, Egeus, is unhappy with their child Hermia’s choice of fiancé, Lysander. Egeus would much rather Hermia married Demetrius. Hermia doesn’t have feelings for Demetrius but their friend Helena does…

Confused? Well, you will be - when Oberon and Puck decide to meddle with this group for their own amusement using a love potion.

At the same time as all of this, a local group of players are preparing a performance for the Duke’s wedding entertainments and one of the actors, Bottom, gets tangled up with the fairies - mysteriously becoming the subject of Titania’s sudden affections.

Out of these overlapping situations comes a chaos of falling asleep, falling in and out of love, hacked rehearsals and getting stuck all night at train stations, mostly thanks to the meddling and mischief of the over-powerful and under-occupied.

Despite that, we still see the magic and joy of hardworking people making art, just for the love of it and even sharing it with the very people who continue to treat them so badly.

All characters can be any gender identity.

Fairies - not all equal to each other, but they have the power to affect everyone else's lives (Titania, Oberon, Puck (aka Robin Goodfellow), Moth, Mustardseed, Cobweb and Peaseblossom)

Wealthy and well connected - are the elite of their society but still beholden on the whims of the fairy court (Theseus, Hippolyta, Egeus, Helena, Hermia, Lysander, Demetrius and Philostrate)

Working people - are beholden on the wealthy and well connected just as much as the well connected are to the fairies (Peter Quince, Robin Starveling, Nick Bottom, Francis Flute, Tom Snout and Snug)

Some performers may be required to play multiple roles. I am open to discussing this, should anyone be interested in small roles, but my current doubles are as follows. Each of the following would be played by one performer:

● Theseus & Oberon
● Hippolyta & Titania
● Egeus & Peter Quince
● Snug & Moth & other fairy
● Robin Starveling & Mustardseed
● Francis Flute & Cobweb
● Tom Snout & Peasblossom & other fairy
● Robin Goodfellow (Puck) & Philostrate

Director: Miriam Nice

Performances: 20 - 24 Feb 2024

First Rehearsal: 19 Nov 2023

Characters:

Helena: 20-40, friend to Hermia, in love with Demetrius

Lysander: 20-40, in love with and engaged to Hermia

Hermia: 20-40, in line to take over family business, loves and is engaged to Lysander

Demetrius: 20-40, works for Egeus, in love with Hermia

Theseus: 30+, Duke, friend of Egeus, engaged to Hippolyta

Oberon: 30+, King of the fairies, married to Titania

Hippolyta: 30+, engaged to Theseus

Titania: 30+, Queen of the amazons, married to Oberon

Egeus: 40+, business owner, parent to Hermia

Peter Quince: 40+, carpenter

Nick Bottom : 30+, electrician

Snug: 20+, joiner

Robin Starveling: 20+, dry cleaner and tailor

Francis Flute: 20+, mobile phone mender

Tom Snout: 20+, mechanic

Peaseblossom: 20+, friend of Titania

Cobweb: 20+, friend of Titania

Mustardseed: 20+, friend of Titania

Moth: 20+, friend of Titania

Robin Goodfellow aka Puck: 20+, works for Oberon

Philostrate: 20+, wedding planner for Egeus and Hippolyta

In order to request a place at an audition session, please COMPLETE THE REGISTRATION FORM by clicking here.

If you are unable to access the form for whatever reason you can request the form contents via email (as a word document) or arrange a call with the director.

All are welcome to audition and we will do our best to audition all who apply (depending on numbers). If you are successful in getting an audition slot please learn (or bring with you to read) a short speech or poem of your choosing. No more than a page or 1-2mins worth. If you can’t find anything we will have some speeches and poems available for you to borrow at the audition.