AUDITIONS at Milnerton Playhouse
CAREFUL by Fiona Coyne
Directed by Johann van der Merwe
Milnerton Playhouse – Saturday 23 April @ 14h00
(Possible Callbacks Sunday 24 April)
Background
The late Prof. Roy Sargeant, on behalf of the Artscape New Writing Programme, begged the late Fiona Coyne to write this play for the doyenne of the SA theatre, Diane Wilson. Diane consequently won the Best Actress award playing Jean at the 2009 Dublin Play Festival, while Fiona was nominated for Best Playwright. Fiona Coyne will be best remembered by SA television audiences as hosting the local version of the popular UK programme The Weakest Link.
Synopsis
An accomplished SA actress, used to doing Shakespeare and other classics, struggles with a new part, requiring her to play a lesbian. She convinces a theatre critic, who she knows is a lesbian, to give her some pointers one rainy evening while she is rehearsing on the empty stage of a theatre, prior to the commencement of the actual rehearsals.
However, an epic exchange of insults and accusations follow, while the actress and the critic struggle to find common ground and, in the process, face their own individual demons.
Interspersed with delightful humour, this brilliant script offers an exciting challenge to two committed actresses eager to get stuck into something different.
Both parts are large.
There is no interval, and the play runs for about 90 minutes, the usual length required for international and local play festivals.
Cast
Jean – 50-ish: Accomplished actor, but fearing that oblivion is staring her in the face. Feminine in
mannerisms.
Leila - 40-ish: Not your stereotyped dyke in appearance. She's assertive, self-assured, and witty.
Performance dates: 15 to 30 July 2022
Note
As the director has to commute between Hermanus and Milnerton, he foresees intense, concentrated rehearsals - such as, for instance (but not necessarily), Thursday evening and Saturday during the day. Because of overlapping with another production, some of the rehearsals may take place at his Milnerton home (near the theatre).
This is a Community Theatre production and therefore there is no payment involved.
We request that all cast and crew are fully vaccinated.
Videos
