Play: Too Much Sun by Nicky Silver
Director: Dave Simms
Company: Adelaide Repertory Theatre
Season: August 31-September 9, 2017
Rehearsals: Tues, Thurs and Sundays from June 18
Synopsis: Audrey Langham, an accomplished actress of a certain age and a bit of a reputation, has a breakdown during rehearsals, walking off the stage and out of the production. With nowhere else to go she runs away to a summerhouse belonging to her daughter and son-in-law who are NOT pleased to see her. In fact, Audrey gets a warmer welcome from the star-struck widower next door and his troubled son. As the summer progresses the mood changes from comedy to drama as an inappropriate clandestine tryst leads to tragedy. Old wounds are revealed and secrets are unearthed as each of the characters finds a way to shed the role they’ve been playing all their lives – trying to find who they really are when they stop ‘acting.’
This is a drama with a lot of comedy; I love the characters and the twists and turns of the plot.
“Nicky Silver is a dramatist who has such an original and thoroughly sustained tragicomic worldview. He gives the cast the generous gift of speaking beautifully, in epigrams and winged barbs and poetic soliloquies that cascade like a Schubert impromptu.” —NY Times. “Four stars.” —Time Out NY. “Hilarious and heartbreaking.” —TheaterMania.com.
Roles: 3M, 2W, American accents required.
AUDREY: 60s. Celebrated and accomplished stage actress. Attention seeking drama queen with a secret. “You show up without warning like some terrible hurricane and drop this bomb on me.” But she has a heart underneath.
KITTY: 30s-40s. Her daughter. Tense, long suffering and sarcastic. A disillusioned teacher, she resents that she never knew her father. “This isn’t some romance with Betty Grable. It’s life. Be realistic.” The down-to-earth one.
WINSTON 50s. The widower next door. A sad, caring, deep man, cheated on by his suicidal wife. Now trying to help his wayward son. “I saw nothing but gloom. Now, possibilities!” Gets a new lease of life when he meets Audrey.
LUCAS: Early 20s. Winston’s son. Pot-dealing, cool, confident and gay. Life has toughened him up, too soon. “The water felt warm and sort of nice like my mother’s arms around me.” He wants to feel close to someone.
GIL: 20s-30s. Jewish, fast-talking and down-trodden assistant to Audrey’s agent. Eager to please, he must bring her back to the production at all costs. “I’m doing the best I can. I’m only one person!” Good comedy part.
Auditions: Saturday November 19 from 9.30-2.30pm at The Arts Theatre, 53 Angas St, City.
Auditions will be in small groups using the script. Plus a short prepared piece from the play, which will be emailed (you are not required to learn it but please familiarise yourself with the extract before the audition).
Please call Alda Ward for an appointment on 0407 080 385 or email aldawardtheatre@gmail.com
