The Welkin by Lucy Kirkwood

directed by Kim Dyas

assisted by Veronika Wilson

Please find below the details of the auditions and backstage help required for THE WELKIN. Please do get in touch with us to express an interest and with any questions you may have by emailing to:

 PTCWelkin@gmail.com

You can also reply to this email

If you intend to audition, It would be helpful if you could please email us with the night you are coming

Auditions will take place at Putney Arts Theatre.

Audition dates

• Sunday 15th January 6.30pm
• Monday 16th January 7pm

Recalls

• Thursday 19th January 7pm

Production details

The play will be performed on the main stage at Putney Arts Theatre.

Performance dates

• 25 to 29 April 2023

Rehearsal period

Rehearsals will take place from 1st February 2023

PLEASE Note

We are committed to improving diversity in our casting and, unless stated for artistic reasons, we aim to actively adopt an inclusive casting policy.

This is an amateur production. You do not need to be a member of PTC to audition, but actors and crew will need to become members for £25 a year by direct debit, or £30 otherwise. A £25 show fee will also need to be paid by all actors in the production. We encourage you to become a member of PTC anyway, even if not cast.

Our company is run by volunteers and we expect all actors cast in a play to volunteer for Front of House duties at least once a year. Our shows could not go up without our Front of House volunteers.

Synopsis

Rural Suffolk, 1759.  As the country waits for Halley’s Comet, Sally Poppy is sentenced to hang for a heinous murder.  When she claims to be pregnant, a jury of twelve matrons are taken from their housework to decide whether she’s telling the truth, or simply trying to escape the noose.

With only midwife Lizzy Luke prepared to defend the girl, and a mob baying for blood outside, the matrons wrestle with their new authority, and the devil their midst.

Female wisdom and strange portents spin Kirkwood's incendiary play into a darkly comic theatrical tapestry.

The Welkin premiered at the National Theatre in early 2020 to great acclaim.

Crucially, The Welkin is an ensemble work with a very large, and largely female cast and its strength rests on the world that the entire cast will build together.

Audition preparation

Set on the edge of Suffolk and Norfolk we will be looking to use a rural East Anglian accent for most of the characters and spending a bit of time listening to audio might be useful.

For anyone interested in the role of Kitty, a Scottish accent will be needed.

Don’t let the accent work put you off though, we’ll be finding our way through together and have plenty of time to work on this.

Audition pieces will be given at the time, if you need a large print version or advance copies, just let us know.

It is not essential that you read the play but if you wish, copies of the script may be purchased from Nick Hern Books:

https://www.nickhernbooks.co.uk/welkin

Characters

The accused

Sally Poppy – the murderer, 20s (f)

The Jury of Matrons

Elizabeth (Lizzy) Luke – the midwife 30s – 40s (f)

and

Judith Brewer – Older (f)

Charlotte Cary – Older (f)

Kitty Givens – Younger, Scottish (f)

Helen Ludlow – Middle-aged (f)

Sarah Hollis – Middle-aged, older than Lizzy (f)

Emma Jenkins – Middle-aged (f)

Ann Lavender – Young (f)

Mary Middleton – Young, Pregnant (f)

Hannah Rusted – Young (f)

Sarah Smith – Older (f)

Peg Carter – Young, Pregnant (f)

Also

Mr Coombes – The Bailiff (m)

Frederick Poppy - The Husband (m)

Mr Willis – The Doctor (m)

Katy Luke – The Midwife’s Daughter (f) & Alice Wax – The Victim (f) to be played by the same actor (a part for a child actor)

Lady Wax – The Mother (f)

Backstage

The Crew so far

Director, Kim Dyas

Assistant Director, Veronika Wilson

Producer, Ian Higham

Stage Manager, Paul Tierney

Lighting Design, Martin Jessop

Sound design, Barney Hart Dyke

Further crew opportunities include:

Costume

Hair and makeup

Set design and builders

Assistant Stage Management

Lighting and sound operation

If you are interested in getting involved in any way,  please get in touch with Kim & Veronika

PTCWelkin@gmail.com