AUDITIONS
THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR
BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
“Wives may be merry, and yet honest too.”
That old scoundrel, the fat knight Sir John Falstaff, erstwhile pal of Prince Hal, is down on his luck.
Seeing a way to restore his fortunes, he schemes to seduce both Mistress Page and Mistress Ford, the wives of two wealthy merchants.
He sends them identical love letters, but his double-dealing ruse is discovered, and the two ladies determine to teach him a lesson.
Meanwhile, the irrationally jealous Frank Ford has heard of Falstaff’s plan and decides to test his wife’s fidelity.
And in a subplot of young love, the Pages’ daughter, Anne, is pursued by three suitors, each of whom is paying Falstaff’s old crony Mistress Quickly to push their cause.
There is much mayhem, dodgy disguises, misdirected letters, a duel and a midnight denouement, before the tangle is unraveled, the men-behaving-badly get their comeuppance, and the good prevail.
Shakespeare’s bright and breezy comedy of sexual jealousy, where clever women are forced to put up with dull, ego-centric men, is given an 80s reboot, the fun played out against a landscape of suburban aspirations and neon-hued bad taste.
“Jealousy and lechery divert in a sparkling romcom” The Guardian
“Falstaff is Shakespeare’s greatest creation” Orson Welles
CREATIVE TEAM & CREW
Director Victor Kalka
Dramaturg Samuel Webster
PERFORMANCE DATES
Tue 19 Apr to Sat 21 MaY
REHEARSALS
Rehearsals will commence week of 21 February with a combination of weekend days, week evenings and possibly weekdays. Exact times and dates tbc, subject to cast availability.
AUDITIONS
It is essential that you read the script BEFORE submitting an Expression of Interest. 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 after the first round of auditions is complete. Call-backs will be held between Thu 10 and Sat 12 Feb. If you are unable to submit a self-tape, please email the Director at merrywives.nt2022@gmail.com to arrange an alternative means of audition.
Your filmed audition should include:
• An introduction to yourself, including your name (max 30 secs).
• A short joke
• Your audition piece: A short Shakespearean or Early-Modern monologue.
Once you have captured your audition, upload it as either a private and password-protected Vimeo or a YouTube video using the password ‘Merry2022’ and email the link with the below information to merrywives.nt2022@gmail.com.
In your email, please:
• include an up-to-date headshot and cv
• indicate which role/roles you are interested in
• indicate if you are currently a New Theatre member
Self-tape submissions close 5pm, Sun 6 Feb.
You will only be contacted if we wish to see you for a call-back. If you are not successful in securing a call-back audition, no feedback will be given, but we greatly appreciate your time and thank you for your interest.
Double vaccination is a requirement of call-back and in-person auditions. Please provide proof of vaccination on arrival.
ROLES AVAILABLE
Mistress Ford
Mistress Page
Anne Page, her daughter, in love with Fenton
Page, gentleman at Windsor
Ford, gentleman at Windsor
Sir John Falstaff
Bardolph, follower of Falstaff
Pistol, follower of Falstaff
Nym, follower of Falstaff
Robin, Page to Falstaff
Fenton, a young gentleman
Shallow, a country judge
Slender, Cousin to Shallow
Simple, a servant to Slender
Sir Hugh Evans, a Welsh Parson
Doctor Caius, a French Physician
Host of the Garter Inn
Rugby, a servant to Doctor Caius
Mistress Quickly, a servant to Doctor Caius
We very much encourage and welcome submissions from people who identify as First Nations, PoC, CaLD, queer and/or gender diverse.
PLEASE NOTE
New Theatre is a volunteer-based organisation and there is no payment for this production.
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
Victor is a freelance designer and director. In 2019 Victor established the indie theatre company Virginia Plain that debuted with a new adaptation of Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard.
Select credits include: Director: Chef, Twelfth Night (heads or tails), The Cherry Orchard (Virginia Plain); A Delicate Balance (Sydney Classic Theatre Co.); Brothers Karamazov, Tender Indifference, and Red Cross (Arrive. Devise. Repeat.); Constellations (Chippen Street Theatre) Debris, Bitch Boxer and Grounded (Sydney Fringe Festival); Titus and The Seagull (SUDS); and Cowboy Mouth (Backspace Theatre).
Designer: Ear to the Edge of Time (Sport for Jove); Once in Royal David’s City, Picnic at Hanging Rock (New Theatre); Wit (Clock and Spiel Productions); Fuente Ovejuna!, Ditch (Dream Plane); Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror (Montague Basement); The Street of Crocodiles and Image of an Unknown Young Woman (AFTT); A Westerner’s Guide to the Opium Wars (35 Square); Antigone and Wyrd (Ninefold).
Training: B.Perf Australian Institute of Music, and B.A. University of Sydney.
