CALL TO AUDITION:

FIGHTING

BY XAVIER COY

WORLD PREMIERE

An exploration into the mind of one man as he traverses the highs and lows of Bipolar over the course of a day, battling with both the people in his life and the voices in his head.

The man works in a shop run by an elderly couple named Cliff and Helga. They enjoy a virile sex life, while he is desperately lonely.

When he is confronted by his former girlfriend who is now engaged, a panic attack ensues.

That night he has a date with a woman he quite fancies, but the evening is a disaster.

Feelings of worthlessness and despair whirl around his head, triggering a depressive episode.

He reaches for a bottle of vodka… Then the phone rings.

It’s his mother, making an ‘RUOK?’ call.

He puts booze away. The fight against his brain can wait until another day.

Winner of the 2022 Silver Gull Play Award

CREATIVE TEAM & CREW
Director Xavier Coy

PERFORMANCE DATES
18 Mar – 12 Apr 2025

REHEARSALS
Rehearsals will commence Thu 6 Feb with a combination of weekend days, week evenings and possibly weekdays. Exact times and dates tbc, subject to cast availability.

AUDITION DATES
Sat 18 Jan: 10am to 4pm
Mon 20 Jan: 6pm to 9pm

Call-back time/date
Mon 26 Jan: 10am to 4pm

ROLES AVAILABLE

Character A: Male identifying (30s), Protagonist, is a man with bipolar disorder who navigates the thoughts rattling around his head. Bipolar is a disease where you have times of stability but also oscillate between hypomania and depressive periods which the Protagonist experiences throughout the play. He’s a good hearted but underachieving type who’s got a loose grip on his life.

Character B: Male identifying (Any age after 40), is the depressive voice for the Protagonist. He’s cynical, vindictive and is baying for blood from the moment the Protagonist wakes up. He is required to play multiple characters throughout the play from an old man to customers.

Character C: Female identifying (Any age), is the voice of hypomania for the Protagonist. She is seemingly benevolent however once the anxiety and agitation start to rise she turns on the Protagonist. She is required to play multiple characters throughout the play from customers in the shop to his love interest. Great character actor is required as she’s a real shape-shifter.

We very much encourage and welcome submissions from people who identify as First Nations, PoC, CaLD, queer, gender diverse and/or neurologically diverse.

TO BOOK AN AUDITION
It is essential to read the script BEFORE applying. There is a perusal copy of the script available for viewing here.

Email your EOI to fightingnt2025@gmail.com with AUDITION in the subject line.

In your email, please:

Include an up-to-date headshot and CV.
Indicate if you are currently a New Theatre member.
Indicate your preferred audition date/time.
Indicate if you are unable to audition in person – submission of self-tape can be arranged.
Indicate your rehearsal availability (days and/or evenings).
Indicate which role you are interested in being considered for.

WHAT TO PREPARE

Please memorize the applicable monologue for the character you wish to be considered for.

Character A:

I’m running. I don’t know where I’m going or how long I’m going to last. Every step feels like…I’m running in humus. I don’t even like – whatever – the analogy is what it is, you get the drift.

Before I know it I’m on this busy street…there are people everywhere. A couple at the traffic lights are kissing and I’m overcome with…rage. I picture myself hitting him in the face – clobbering him – for no other reason than…he’s happy. I can barely breathe, my mouth is so dry it feels like each breath is passing through sandpaper to get to my lungs.

I’m in a park. Alone. The sun’s going down. I lie down in the grass – it itches but I don’t mind. I can hardly focus on anything other than…The tears and the sweat dripping down my back – if it was beautiful I’d say it was cascading but it isn’t – there’s nothing beautiful – it’s collecting in my butt crack, tickling my asshole. And for a moment I can see it – joy. I’m crying so hard and all I want to do is itch my asshole, but I’m so fucking exhausted I can’t be bothered – I’m so tired, so – I rub my arse on the ground like a randy little mutt.

It’s funny. But the thought of laughing feels entirely alien. All these tricks, distractions, tools – all an attempt to stop this hideous inertia. Unstoppable cunting force of… The sun’s gone. I sit up and remember I’m alone.

Character B:

I am more than you, I hope you understand that. I’m my own person. I have a fully-fledged, wholly formed view of the world…Though it may be misanthropic, it is mine and mine alone. You might have your hands on the steering wheel but I can turn it any point.

Don’t believe me?

You’re happy. Out for drinks. A couple too many. Shit, you’re even dancing. Badly but it’s something.

You leave. You’re walking down the street. You pass a man – he’s standing by himself. He looks angry.

The better part says keep walking, no need to engage. ‘Nice shirt.’ What did you think was going to happen? You keep walking but before you know it you’re on the ground and he’s on top of you.

The back of your head’s bleeding, he clipped you with a good one.

He’s dragged off you. Bouncers take pity. Only got yourself to blame. If not for the kindness of others…Lucky, right? Yeah. Instead you think…If only he’d really connected with that punch then maybe…

That’s me. Kiss, kiss.

Character C:
You’re not doing this alone. I’m here. And that thing over there – well they’re here too. But you and I, we battle together.

Trust me.

Here – you’re six years old. You’re at a fate, standing at the spinning wheel to win a prize. For some reason all you wanted was a leg of ham. I’m not saying you were a normal kid – besides the point. You wanted that ham so badly. While your sister was spending her allotted cash on rides you were spending yours on the hope you’ll get ham.

All that enthusiasm, all that hope, all that excitement at seeing the wheel spin around and around – all that joy…That’s me. And remember when you won the ham? You were the happiest little kid that’s ever been. You won a ham half your size.

Actually I really do think I have to set the record straight – not because I wasn’t happy for you I just – I think it makes it even better actually. They gave you that ham out of pity. You spent all your money and the market value of the ham was actually less than what you spent so…People care. They care about you. Do you remember that joy?

That’s me.

PLEASE NOTE
New Theatre an amateur theatre company and a volunteer-based organisation and there is no for payment for this production.

If cast, you will be required to wash your own costumes and be prepared to assist with production bump in and out.

ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
Xavier is a critically acclaimed Sydney based actor, writer, director and producer. Xavier wrote on Channel 10’s acclaimed television series Five Bedrooms and has completed development rooms for The Full Box’s adaptation of their documentary into a drama series Opal Cove and another development for WIPP Productions’ Boomer Detectives. His TV pilot Don’t Make Me Regret This has been optioned by The Full Box.

Xavier’s Screen NSW funded short film Fighting, which he also directed, premiered at Sydney Film Festival in June 2023. He worked as a script consultant on Nicholas Denton’s How I Learned To Swim.

In 2017 Xavier was awarded the Terracini Estate Residency for writing. Xavier’s playwrighting credits also include Not Even God Can Save Us (ACA, dir. Xavier Coy), The World According To Jerry (KXT Storytellers Festival), Buried (The Old 505 Theatre), Are You Listening Now? (The Old 505 Theatre), Fighting (KXT Teethcutting), Caught Out (Sydney Fringe Festival and Bondi Feast) which took out the NIDA Award for Best Writer & winner of Sydney Fringe Award at the 2018 Sydney Fringe Festival & Distorted (The Old 505 Theatre), Charles & Larry (Flightpath Theatre) and Agency (KXT Storytellers Festival). His play Fighting was shortlisted for The Born Writer’s Award and won the 2022 Silver Gull Play Award. He has subsequently joined Origin Theatrical publishing for publication of his plays. In 2024 Xavier’s book Living With Bipolar was published by Origin.

Xavier’s company Blazing Battle Productions is producing the feature film Unremarkable which Xavier also directed and which is currently in post-production.