TRAVELLING NORTH

by David Williamson 

 

Auditions details:

Date: Wednesday, 29th January 2020  

Time: 7pm at the Arts Theatre Cronulla

 

Contact details for enquiries:

Director - Neil Moulang

Mobile - 0401 142 909 

Email - neilmoulang@gmail.com

 

Rehearsals commence Monday, 10th February 2020 (or Tuesdays if we want to be flexible) and Thursdays from 7pm. Not all actors will be required every rehearsal, so there is every chance we can work around any attendance issues.

 

Season runs from 8th May to 13th June every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday night at 8pm and 3 Sunday matinees at 2pm on May 17th, May 31st & June 7th.  Actors need to be available for all performances. 

 

Auditions pieces will be selected passages from the play. Please contact the director if you need more information.

 

Accents - this is an Australian play. The only characters who could possibly not have an Australian accent is Doctor Saul Morgnstein but even Saul is very much an Aussie or the Wedding Celebrant/ Gallery Attendant. (Minor roles) but good fun!

 

Setting early 1970's - a great era for fashion and Australian politics.

 

Synopsis:

After retiring, Frank and his new companion Frances  leave Melbourne to begin a new life in Port Douglas, in far north Queensland. He’s an irascible ex-communist civil engineer; she’s a sweet-tempered woman who believes in God and politeness. Her two daughters – Sophie and Helen – are concerned that widower Frank is using her; Frank worries about keeping her. Their new home is idyllic, an airy tropical bungalow overlooking the sea. Frank loves fishing, music and isolation, but he learns to tolerate their nosy neighbour Freddie Wicks. Frank is blissfully happy, until his new doctor, Saul Morgenstein diagnoses heart disease. Frances is less content, with nothing to do and her children and grandchildren a long way south. Returning reluctantly for a visit to Melbourne, Frank has a heart attack. Frances brings him back to Port Douglas to recover, but he becomes ever more tyrannical. She leaves him and returns to Melbourne. Full of remorse, Frank apologises and asks her to marry him. They begin their new life again but there is little time left. Frank dies in an armchair listening to music. Frances, Saul and Freddie toast his memory with the champagne he always kept in the fridge for the purpose.

 

From the Director:

This play is a comedy/drama, that focuses on that great Australian rivalry and tyranny of distance between Melbourne, Sydney and the far north of Queensland.  All roles offer great characters for actors to really bring to life on stage in this very funny, and also at times sad reflection of family values combined with that typical Australian ideal of Travelling North in your later years to seek the warmer climate. 

Lead roles of Frank and France's are large around 60 pages, but the play format of many short sharp scenes should help break up these roles into manageable pieces.

All others roles are medium size around 22 pages except the role of Joan - 6 pages (a great opportunity for someone new to the stage to shine).

The wedding celebrant/gallery attendant - 2 pages but good characters and this role may also double as stage hand, as the play has quite a few scene changes.

 

Please don't hold back from auditioning. If a director doesn't know you want to have a go, it makes it really difficult for a director to know you were thinking about a role. This also applies if you want to try stage managing or stage hand - let me know early and we can get training ASAP.

 

Cast:

Frank (M 70+)    

A widower. He’s a curmudgeon, even tyrannical, ex-communist well-retired civil engineer. Frank worries about keeping Frances.  Frank loves fishing, music & isolation. Frank has a daughter Joan who lives in Sydney.

 

Frances (F 50-55)  

She’s a sweet-tempered woman who believes in God & politeness. Has two daughters – Sophie & Helen.

 

Sophie (F 30-33)  

Lives down south in Melbourne. Concerned that widower Frank is using their mother.

 

Helen (F 27-30) 

Lives down south in Melbourne. Concerned that widower Frank is using their mother.

 

Freddy Wicks (M 60)

Their nosy neighbour up North Queensland.

 

Saul Morgenstein (M 60)  

Frank's new doctor up North Queensland.

 

Joan  (F 30-33)

Frank's daughter.

 

Wedding Celebrant  

Small role, may also double as...Gallery Attendant!

 

Hope to see you there at auditions - this should be a very popular play with our audience & enjoyable to be involved in.

 

Thanks,

Neil Moulang

Director