‘Our bodies are our gardens … our wills are gardeners’ … and now YOU can audition for this and many other dramatic moments in one of Shakespeare’s classic plays.
Because The Crescent Theatre on Sheepcote Street on Westside is seeking amateur actors to take part in its forthcoming production of Othello.
The play is due to be staged at the theatre’s Ron Barber Studio from 11 to 23 November this year, with auditions for parts taking place later this month.
A spokesperson for The Crescent said: “Auditions for our upcoming show Othello are happening soon. If you want the opportunity to perform this Shakespeare classic on stage, why not join us?
“We require a cast of about a dozen dynamic and expressive performers who are willing to take risks. There may be an opportunity for actors to take on more than one role – this will be decided after the auditions have taken place.
“There will be a low level of intimacy between certain characters. Othello and Desdemona will kiss, and at the end of the play Othello will suffocate Desdemona with a pillow.
“Also, Roderigo and Emilia will be fatally stabbed, which will involve close personal contact. All theatre guidelines regarding intimacy will be followed.”
The characters in Othello include:
- Roderigo, aged 25 to 35, a playboy – rich, naive, and definitely fallen in with the wrong crowd. His self-pity is exploited ruthlessly.
- Iago, aged 30 to 40, effectively a psychopath, fuelled by jealousy, hell-bent on the destruction of all who get in his way.
- Brabantio, aged 50 to 60, Desdemona’s father – a blustering and self-important Venetian senator. Definitely old-school.
- Othello, aged 35 to 45, North-African – now a General in the Venetian army. Decorated, respected and trusted – at least at the start of the play. Self-described as “one that loved not wisely, but too well”, this tragic flaw hastens his downfall.
- Cassio, aged 25 to 35, Othello’s newly promoted lieutenant – a rather inexperienced soldier, somewhat lacking in self-discipline.
- Duke of Venice, aged 40 to 60, Head of the Venetian Senate. The highest-ranking character in the play!
- Senator, aged 25 to 35, Assistant to the Duke.
- Desdemona, aged 18 to 22, Brabantio’s daughter. Secretly married to Othello just before the play begins. She artfully blends her sense of duty with her natural forthrightness.
- Montano, aged 40 to 50, the former Governor of Cyprus. Othello takes over this role, but Montano remains active in the Cyprus government.
- Emilia, aged 30 to 40, Iago’s wife and an attendant to Desdemona. A down-to-earth and essentially well-meaning woman who becomes unwittingly involved in Iago’s web of deceit.
- Bianca, aged 25 to 35, a courtesan in Cyprus. A favourite of Cassio, she is a bit needy, but nevertheless stands no nonsense.
- Lodovico, aged 40 to 60, travels to Cyprus as a representative of the Duke of Venice, and becomes embroiled in the final stages of Iago’s plot.
- Probable role-pairings are the Duke/Lodovico, and the Senator/Bianca. Other pairings are possible.
Anyone wanting to audition will need to present a speech from any Shakespeare play lasting between one and two minutes to show what the theatre has described as “clarity and character”.
Audition dates are Sunday 23 July from 2pm, Wednesday 26 July from 7pm and Thursday 27 July from 7pm for call-backs, if required.
More details can be found here: https://www.crescent-theatre.co.uk/OthelloAuditionsOTHELLO
And a link to a Google form to sign up for one of the auditions is here: https://forms.gle/Wvq7G6ouJBPrEicS7
