AUDITIONS
Auditions
DIRECTED BY – FAY RICHARDS
ASST DIRECTOR – THERESA KENDALL
Frederick Knott’s intense and darkly mesmerizing thriller is laced with passion and betrayal. Set in 1950s London, ex-tennis pro and house husband, Tony is convinced his wealthy socialite wife, Margot, is having an affair. Between cocktails, a cat and mouse game of intrigue, blackmail and treachery begins as Tony plots the perfect murder. Tension mounts as his precise plan goes awry and his alternate sinister scheme keeps audiences spellbound until the breathless end.
Cast
Tony Wendice – 35 to 45 years
A retired tennis star with a taste for luxury. He is married to Margot; a wealthy socialite who he discovers later on is having an affair with a mystery novelist. He conspires to murder his wife with an old associate of his, fearing that his wife would eventually divorce him leaving him unable to sustain his lavish lifestyle. It is interesting to note the complete absence of any emotion while he orchestrates his reprehensible plot, leaving the audience to conclude that Tony from the get-go is a cold-blooded sociopath; he is also exceedingly manipulative, managing to convince an old acquaintance to commit murder.
Margot Wendice – 35 to 45 years
An unlikely protagonist of the play, is a walking set of contradictions. She is completely oblivious to the fact that her husband is plotting to murder her despite her wit and intelligence. Margot reveals herself to be a compassionate, trusting, and genuinely polished individual despite being unfaithful to her murderous husband. Her innate resilience and ingenuity shines through when she is assaulted by Swann, despatching her aggressor with a pair of scissors. She maintains her unique innocence in the face of all the sinister plotting that goes on around her continuously through the drama that generates sympathy and endears her to the audience.
Mark Halliday – 35 to 45 years
Mystery novelist, Margot’s lover, and unsuspecting impetus of the attempts against her life, he starts out in the play completely clueless of all clandestine manipulations being orchestrated against his ladylove. It is his resolute confidence and genuine regard for Margot prevents him from abandoning her and eventually clues him in on Tony’s murderous plot. His background as a mystery writer pays off, as he is able to piece together events and draw connections to them allowing the Inspector to not just build a case against Tony but also entrap him as he tries to carry out his dastardly scheme.
C.A. Swann/Captain Lesgate – 40 to 50 years
A dyed-in-the-wool felon and fraud, he is precisely the kind of lowlife Tony needs to carry out his dirty work for him. Swann possesses a base cunning that comes with leading the life of a criminal, but he is clearly outclassed in criminality by the sheer cold, calculating, self-centeredness of Tony’s manipulations. Despite his experience in carrying out crimes a quick-witted Margot quickly despatches him.
Inspector Hubbard – 50 years & up
He is depicted as the typical self-effacing English detective who is, actually much more astute and perceptive than he allows the other characters to see. Despite the proverbial stiff upper lip though and the unwillingness to deviate from standard police procedures he does reveal his softer, more human side to show. In keeping true to the self-effacing charactersation he allows Tony to continue with his pretence of blamelessness despite seeing through his inconsistencies and already formulating possible motives for plotting foul play.
Auditions will be a cold read from selected passages in the script and will be held at Mousetrap Theatre 7pm on Friday 2nd July 2021.
Performances will be over the first 3 week-ends in October 2021.
Rehearsals will be Tuesday and Thursday evenings and also Sunday afternoons at Mousetrap Theatre.
Please contact the Production Manager - Kay Tudhope (mobile number: 0417 738 915 or via email: mtdialm@gmail.com) should you be interested in obtaining a copy of the script for perusal prior to the audition or should you wish to book an audition timeslot if unavailable on the audition date.