go back for murder

by Agatha Christie
directed by Zoe Thomas-Webb

Production dates: 
18-22 June
Saturday matinee, 22 June 

Auditions

The first audition will involve games and exercises to see how you work with other actors, nothing too strenuous or exhausting but do come in clothes that you can move in. We will also work on some group scenes. Please also make sure you arrive on time as we shall be starting promptly.

The recalls will involve detailed scene work and some games/exercises.

Audition Preparation

There isn’t anything to prep for the auditions, if you get recalled we will send you the scenes we will look at so you can have some time with them. There is no need to prepare any text beforehand, but please do read the play or at least the plot of Go Back for Murder / Five Little Pigs on Wikipedia. The main difference between the play and the book is that Poirot doesn’t exist in Christie’s theatrical world, but otherwise they are quite similar.

Please leave your David Suchet and Joan Hickson impressions at home. Although we want to honour the great Queen of Crime, we also want to create something a little different.

If you are planning on auditioning please could you email Zoë at gobackformurder@gmail.com with your name, which evening you would prefer to audition and what roles you are interested in. This is just so we can get an idea of numbers on each evening and make sure everyone has a good evening.
Please do email as well if you have any questions about the play, the audition process or rehearsals.

Production

We are exploring the theme of memory within the play, hence casting past and present day versions of the five witnesses. The past version will always be with the present version like a ghost/memory of what was. Although this won’t be your typical drawing room Agatha Christie, it is created by people who love her work and the boundaries she pushed and re-created.

Character Breakdown

16 cast (8f, 7m and 1 any gender)

Carla (f, 20s) - An orphan. Stubborn, loyal and determined. Carla wants to find out the truth about her mother’s innocence and her father’s murder no matter the cost.

Justin (m, 20s-30s) - A solicitor. Adventurous, faithful and logical. Eager to help Carla, this woman who has come into his life abruptly and immediately turned it upside down.

Caroline (f, 20s-30s) - A wife. Enchanting, loving and unhappy. Carla’s mother who was found guilty of murdering her husband and even those who love her most believe she killed the man she loved.

Amyas (m, 20s-30s) - An artist. Charming, selfish and driven. Murdered in the prime of life, although he is loved by many, he only thinks of himself.

Present Philip Blake (m, 50s) - A banker. Workaholic, bitter and lonely. A man who buries himself and his memories in his work, resentful of the past.

Past Philip Blake (m, 30s) - A stockbroker. hardworking, caring and lonely. A man in love and although he knows it's unrequited he can’t help but hope.

Present Meredith Blake (m, 50s) - A botanist. Scatterbrained, nostalgic and sad. He can’t let go of the past no matter how much it haunts him.

Past Meredith Blake (m, 30s) - A friend. Scatterbrained, sweet and steadfast. Although he aims to make everyone happy, he can sometimes forget his own desires.

Present Lady Melksham (f, 40s) - A divorcee. Pampered, snobbish and angry. Forever changed by the death of the man she loved.

Past Lady Melksham (f, 20s) - A muse. Pampered, ambitious and cold. Determined to marry the man she loves no matter the heartbreak to others.

Present Angela Warren (f, 30s) - A historian. Daring, kind and selfless. Although struck by tragedy as a child she has never let it get in her way of leading the fullest life.

Past Angela Warren ⇞ (f, 14-18) - A child. Naughty, boisterous and bored. She loves a prank and loves to cause chaos, even as a teenager she isn’t past wreaking a little havoc.

Present Miss Williams (f, 60s) - A nobody. Sensible, severe and heart broken. A woman left to fend for herself after her world is forever changed.

Past Young Miss Williams (f, 40s) - A governess. Cheerful, strict and devoted. She is lucky enough to love her work and the family she is employed by.

Turnball* (any gender, 40s - 60s) - A secretary. Someone who was present for the trial of Caroline Crale.

Jeff* (m, 30s) - A fiance. Brash, loud and American. Carla’s fiance who would like nothing better than to forget the past completely.

* These are quite small roles, they are only in the opening scene, so if you want something low commitment rehearsal wise, this might be the one for you.

⇞  For this role we would like to cast a teenager, so this is a suggested age, rather than a playing age.

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 Putney Theatre Company to audition, but actors and crew will need to become a member of Putney Theatre Company to take part in the show for £30 a year. A  £30 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.