That Face
By Polly Stenham

Directed by Paula Robinson

Performances: Tuesday 10 November 2026 – Saturday 14 November 2026

Putney Arts Theatre Studio 

Audition dates 

• Wednesday 5th August at 6pm 
• Sunday 9th August at 6pm

Recalls, if needed,  on Saturday 15th August (morning/early afternoon)

AUDITION INFORMATION:

Audition pieces will be added shortly.

NOTE: Familiarity with the material is encouraged, although memorisation is definitely not required.

Please contact the director, Paula Robinson, at ptcthatface@gmail.com if you would like to audition but cannot attend on the official dates or if you have any other queries.

AUDITION FORM

Please fill in the audition form here by 3rd August. If you are unable to attend, please try to let us know at least 24 hours in advance, as, for logistical purposes, we need to have an accurate idea of the number of auditionees.

REHEARSALS:

Rehearsals will take place, mainly at Putney Arts Theatre, over evenings and weekends from September until the performance. Actors should expect to be called for 2 to 4 rehearsals a week. It is assumed that if you audition you are available for all the performance dates.

ABOUT THE PLAY:

Polly Stenham’s That Face begins with a disturbing incident at an elite boarding school. What appears at first to be a cruel teenage prank quickly becomes something far more serious, forcing fifteen-year-old, Mia to return to London and bringing her fractured family back into contact with one another. Her older brother Henry, only eighteen, has been living in the shadow of their mother Martha’s struggle with addiction and instability, taking on the role of carer, protector and emotional anchor while their father Hugh has built a new life abroad.

As the consequences of the school incident intensify, the family is pushed towards confrontation. Hugh’s return threatens to expose how much has been neglected, while Martha and Henry’s dangerously dependent relationship begins to unravel under pressure. Moving between dark humour, tenderness and emotional violence, That Face explores what happens when privilege hides damage, when adults fail to take responsibility, and when young people are left to carry the weight of a collapsing home.

Content warnings:

This production contains strong language, bullying, physical restraint, drugging, alcohol and substance misuse, mental health crisis, emotional abuse, family breakdown, parental neglect, coercive and inappropriate family dynamics, sexual references, and distressing scenes involving young people.

This amateur production of “That Face” is presented by arrangement with Concorde Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French Ltd.

Suitable for audiences above the age of 15

CAST BREAKDOWN:

Martha, (F) Playing age: 40s–50s

Martha is Henry and Mia’s mother: charismatic, intelligent, witty, volatile and emotionally dependent. She can be glamorous, cruel, funny, fragile and frightening within the same scene. She is a woman in crisis who often uses performance, charm and manipulation to avoid reality. Martha isn’t monstrous or simply pitiable. She is deeply damaged, but she is also capable of causing damage.

Henry, (M) Playing age 18.

Henry is Martha’s son and Mia’s older brother. Sensitive, artistic and intelligent, he has taken on far too much responsibility at home. He is both young and prematurely adult: protective, exhausted, loving, angry and trapped. Henry is someone trying desperately to hold everything together until he can no longer manage the weight of it.

Mia, (F) Playing age 15/16

Mia is Henry’s younger sister. Sharp, sarcastic, defensive and frightened, she uses humour and attitude to protect herself from guilt, shame and fear. She can seem careless or provocative, but underneath is a young person desperate for love, safety and someone to take charge.

Hugh, (M) Playing age: 40s–50s

Hugh is Martha’s ex-husband and father to Henry and Mia. He is controlled, successful, practical and emotionally distant. He is used to solving problems with money, authority and strategy, but he is less comfortable facing the emotional consequences of his absence.

Izzy, (F) Playing age: 16–17

Izzy is an older schoolgirl: confident, provocative, charismatic and dangerous. She enjoys power and knows how to perform it. She is funny, cruel, flirtatious, sharp and socially dominant, but there are flashes of fear and insecurity when consequences begin to appear. Izzy can command a room, but her cruelty is part performance, part self-protection and part entitlement.

Alice, (F) Playing age: 13–14

Alice is a younger schoolgirl whose vulnerability sits at the centre of the play’s opening crisis. She has limited dialogue, but her presence is extremely important. This role requires strong physical acting, emotional sensitivity and the ability to communicate fear, trauma and presence through stillness and reaction.

Diversity, Inclusion & Casting Vision

PTC is committed to diversity and inclusion. We want a membership that is reflective of the diverse communities within London. We actively encourage all performers to audition for the roles which they feel best suit their skills.

Where ethnicities are not listed against the characters, we would openly encourage actors of all ethnicities to consider those roles.

COSTS

Please note that 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. That cost is currently £30 a year.

There is also a show fee of £35 which will need to be paid by all actors in the production, which goes towards the cost of putting on the show and insurance. it includes the cost of the script should you not have one when cast.

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 production to volunteer for Front of House duties at least once a year. Our shows could not go up without our Front of House volunteers.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

PTC knows that taking part in a show can be a significant financial burden. We are committed to being as inclusive as possible. So, if you would like to discuss how we can help you, a member of the committee will be able to confidentially assist. Please enquire for more information. Rest assured, if you have requested financial assistance, it will have no bearing on whether you are cast in the show.

OTHER WAYS TO GET INVOLVED

There are always other ways to be involved in the production other than auditioning. If you would like to be a part of the production team please email ptcthatface@gmail.com .

The roles you may want to get involved with include:

• Props
• Costume
• Stage management
• Set build
• Technical Operation
• Marketing