Interested in Joining?

Auditions Dates​

Thursday 14th November - 7 pm to 10 pm

and

Sunday 17th November - 1 pm to 5 pm

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at Otford Village Memorial Hall.

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Performance dates​

Thursday 26th to Sunday 29th June, Thursday 3rd to Sunday 6th July at The White Rock Inn, Underriver, Sevenoaks and Saturday and Sunday 12th and 13th July at St Briavels Castle, Lydney, Gloucestershire.

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Characters

Don Pedro - Prince of Arragon – 40s/50s

Benedick - Companion of Don Pedro – a soldier 30s/40s

Claudio - Companion of Don Pedro – a soldier 20s

Don John - Don Pedro's bastard brother 40s

Borachio - follower of Don John 30s/40s/50s ish

Conrade - follower of Don John 30s/40s/50s ish

Leonato - Governer of Messina 60s/70s ish

Antonio - His brother, an old man 60s/70s ish

Balthasar - A singer

Friar Francis - A priest – 40s/50s/60s

Hero - Leonato's daughter 20s

Margaret - Attendant of Hero 40s/50s/60s

Ursula - Attendant of Hero 40s/50s/60s

Beatrice - Leonato's niece - 30s/40s

Dogberry - The constable – any age over 40

Verges - Dogberry’s partner in authority – any age over 40

Sexton - Works for Dogberry – any age

Watchmen - Works for Dogberry – any age

Boy - Servant to Benedick

Attendants, Messengers,Musicians

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Additional Information

There will likely be some doubling up of roles and possible switching character genders for roles such as Dogberry, the Watchmen etc. Check online for further information on all characters – sites such as Sparknotes will give you more information if you need it. Please let us know by return email if you wish to attend, or to ask questions about the process.

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​A note from the Director

" I think this is a play about, and a play that should evoke, joy.  My ambition for the play is that we capture that emotion, and by the end of the production we flood the audience with it.

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Clearly there is the central arc of Benedick & Beatrice, and all the wooing that goes on between them, Claudio & Hero – and I intend to play this for as much comedy as we can wring out of it.  There is also the serious central theme of Hero’s name being tarnished, and her apparent death.  But then the play returns to the joyful tone – a marriage, and then the bringing together of the two sharp-tongued protagonists leading into the marriage celebration.

I want that to be a celebration that encompasses the whole audience – a bit like how The Bridge Theatre did that final scene of Midsummer the other year – joyous.  Almost immersive by this point with the audience in the heart of the celebration - not mere onlookers. 

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I’m in two minds in terms of setting/period… one is to go along the same route as the Branagh film adaptation, which I love – and will allow an audience to quickly tune in and feel comfortable with… but I’m also very drawn to the idea of setting it in a modern day Messina café, and have the men returning from the last Euros football tournament celebrating Italy’s win over England… that could give a lot of fun, and a different backdrop to the familiar play – and the characters/situations would all fit well. 

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I’m a very collaborative and playful director, and with a background in drama teaching, I like developing actors.  For a team working alongside me, I’d be hoping that people feel able to bring and share ideas, try things out, explore different ways of doing things, and feel absolutely involved – and I mean everyone – cast and crew.  I have directed for the Shakespeare Schools Festival many times and have had training from them in working with Shakespeare text and actors, but I’ve also worked with modern companies such as Punchdrunk, Frantic Assembly, and KneeHigh – so I bring that experience with me."

Ian Tucker-Bell - Director

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