CALL TO AUDITION:
THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS
by JOHN WYNDHAM
REALISED By JAY JAMES-MOODY
“And we danced, on the brink of an unknown future, to an echo from a vanished past…”
London, 1951: In an attempt to solve the world’s energy crisis, scientists engineer the Triffids: a biofuel crop that is highly efficient, strangely sentient, and disturbingly carnivorous.
When a freak cosmic event blinds most of the world’s population, one man wakes into a collapsing society where fear, opportunism, and chaos reign. As humans struggle to survive, an unexpected predator rises. Free from observation, the Triffids begin their ascent.
The beast is loose.
Adapted from John Wyndham’s iconic catastrophe novel, THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS erupts into vivid, immersive reality in this bold new theatrical experience by Jay James-Moody. This stage adaptation reimagines Wyndham’s novel as an intimate theatrical work sustained through darkness, sound, breath, and proximity.
CREATIVE TEAM & CREW
Adapted & Directed by Jay James-Moody
PERFORMANCE DATES
30 Jun to 25 Jul 2026
PRODUCTION PERIOD
21 to 29 Jun 2026
REHEARSALS
Initial Mon/Tue rehearsals will commence mid to late May. This will be followed by an intensive rehearsal period in Jun with a combination of weekend days, week evenings and possibly weekdays. Exact times and dates tbc, subject to cast availability. An exploratory workshop if also planned for late Mar, early April. Date tbc.
AUDITIONS
It is essential to read the script BEFORE applying. There is a perusal copy of the script available for viewing here.
The initial round of auditions will be done using self-tape. Call-back auditions will be held at the theatre in person on Sat 14 & Sun 15 Mar 2026. If you are unable to submit a self-tape, please email the Director at triffidsnt25@gmail.com to arrange an alternative means of audition.
Your filmed audition should include:
• Introduction: A very brief self- introduction, including your name.
• Improvised Scenario (30-60 seconds): using your phone, create a moment in which you are either hiding from something terrifying, or searching for something terrifying. Keep it immediate. Personal. Present. You may narrate, whisper, call out, or let the moment unfold through breath and ambient sound. For tonal reference, consider Heather Donohue’s confessional in The Blair Witch Project (1999), or the raptors in the kitchen sequence in Jurassic Park (1993). Both are available to view on YouTube. Camera and lighting can be rough. It does not need to be elaborate. Production value will not be assessed. We are looking for psychological truth and your ability to sustain tension.
• Supplied Monologue: Record yourself performing this linked monologue. It does not need to be memorised. Approach it as though recounting a traumatic memory. Decide who you are speaking to, where you are, and why you are telling this story. Keep it simple. Honest. Direct.
Once you have captured your audition, upload it as either a private and password-protected Vimeo or a YouTube video using the password ‘Room23’ and complete this linked audition form.
Self-tape submissions close Fri 6 Mar, 5pm
All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their audition. Artists who have previously worked with the director may submit an Expression of Interest via the form above without providing an initial self-tape.
ROLES AVAILABLE
The production features six actors:
• Two primary leads: Bill and Josella – ordinary folks caught in the unravelling nightmare.
• Four ensemble performers portraying multiple roles.
We seek a cast reflecting the breadth of our community. Artists of all cultural backgrounds, genders, ages, body types, and lived experiences are encouraged to submit. We particularly welcome First Nations artists, artists of colour, LGBTQIA+ artists, and artists with a disability.
The play is set in England in 1951. A strong grasp of regional UK accents is desirable.
If you are unsure whether you ‘fit’ this world, submit anyway.
PERFORMANCE CONDITIONS
This production sustains high psychological tension. Performers will work in low light – at times near-total darkness – with immersive sound design. Scenes involve urgency, panic, and heightened distress.
The work will be staged safely with clear technical protocols. Artists should be comfortable in atmospherically intense environments and prepared for the emotional stamina the piece demands.
If you have access requirements or any concerns you would like to discuss confidentially, please get in touch with the Director at triffidsnt25@gmail.com. We are committed to a rigorous, respectful, collaborative rehearsal room.
PLEASE NOTE
New Theatre an amateur theatre company and a volunteer-based organisation – there is no for payment for this production.
If cast, you will be required to wash your own costumes and assist with production bump out.
FUTURE PRESENTATION
Following the New Theatre season, there is a tentative proposal for a subsequent presentation of The Day of the Triffids in Canberra produced by a secondary organisation. At this stage, this is exploratory only.
A percentage of cast and crew for any Canberra presentation would be required to be locally based. As such: willingness or availability to participate beyond the New Theatre production will not inform casting decisions. There is no expectation, obligation, or commitment required from artists; and the New Theatre or any secondary producer has no obligation to initial season artists in relation to any future presentation at this time. If the Canberra presentation proceeds, discussions regarding participation would occur separately and independently of the New Theatre season.
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
Jay James-Moody is an award-winning writer, adaptor, director, actor and producer. A founding member of Hayes Theatre Co, he was Artistic Director of Squabbalogic (2006–2023), one of Australia’s leading boutique musical theatre companies.
He is the recipient of the Mike Walsh Fellowship for Producing and has received multiple Sydney Theatre Awards and nominations for writing and direction, as well as the Australian Writers Guild Award for Music Theatre and the David Williamson Prize.
His work is recognised for bold theatrical language and psychologically charged storytelling.
THE DAY OF THE TRIFFIDS continues his exploration of immersive, actor-driven theatre that privileges atmosphere and emotional truth.