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In association with Little Cog, we are currently casting Another England and are seeking a disabled female actor with a playing range of 20 – 30 years (confident with use of a low-level swing).
Synopsis
Another England is a gripping contemporary performance piece, experimenting with form and audience, about surviving in a modern England. It is an England rarely seen though, so, critically acclaimed theatre director Vici Wreford-Sinnott, takes her audience on an adventure into a whole other dimension of lived experience in austerity Britain, who, like the characters, find themselves in a deserted house on the outskirts of town.
If we scratch below the surface of mainstream media fake facts and red herrings, what stories of optimism and hope can we find?
Murphy and Rat are unlikely companions. Murphy is a 55 year old veteran of the welfare state: a cantankerous grouch, filled with the pessimism of humanity. Rat is a young woman driven by a passionate belief in people, in their capacity for empathy. Both are disabled people with a rich sense of their own belonging, although on opposite sides of the same coin.
Both are being erased, scratched out, invalid, told they don’t actually exist, and their worth as citizens is questioned. Forced together, the pair must find common ground to survive.
A dark, lively, funny piece incorporating projections as memories and predictions.
Setting
The set design is that of a large old deserted house, and the audience are located within the performance space. This will be explored from practical, aesthetic and access perspectives in the first week of rehearsal with actors and designer. There is also a low level swing suspended from the rig used by Rat.
Development and Rehearsals
Vici is currently in the R&D phase of the production, researching and writing.
In April there will be a week of workshopping with actors and designer, prior to an intensive rehearsal period in May, through to full production at ARC Stockton on 18 May 2017.
You will need to have professional acting experience and will be employed on a freelance basis. It is essential you are available on the following dates:
3-7 April 2017
20-22 April 2017
2-5 May 2017
8-12 May 2017
15-18 May 2017 (Production Week and Performance)
Fee & Payment
The fee is £2,625.00 freelance, and in addition, accommodation and travel costs will be covered by the project. Some access costs can be met by the project but we expect professional actors to have Access to Work support in place where possible. However, please don’t let this prevent you from expressing an interest – do discuss this with us as we realise each person’s situation is different.
Place of Work
All rehearsals and the performance of this production will take place at ARC Stockton, Stockton-On-Tees in the North East of England.
Applying
If you could supply us with your CV, recent headshots, links to examples of your work, and a short paragraph outlining your experience of disability theatre, a description of your practice as an actor and preferred theatre styles/genres. Send to [email protected] including information about audition access requirements. Please send us this at your earliest convenience and we will be in touch to arrange auditions for shortlisted actors.
Cultural Shift is ARC’s strategic programme of activity, delivered in partnership with Little Cog, actively programming and delivering new and increased opportunities for disabled people in the arts. We are working to ensure our cultural landscape is vibrant and representative of the people living and working in our communities.
The aims of Cultural Shift are:
• To challenge negative commonly held perceptions about disability and disabled people
• To involve disabled people in the arts at every level
Through our artistic policy we are committed to supporting work which is contemporary in its approach and relevant to peoples’ lives today.