Danny Champion of The World
Adapted for the stage by David Wood. From the book by Roald Dahl.
Auditions: Sunday 17th June 2018, 3pm.
Playing Dates: Wednesday 19th December to Sunday 23rd December
and
Thursday 27th December to Saturday 29th December.
Director: Jane Richardson.
Nine-year-old Danny lives happily with his father in their caravan next to their small filling station and car repair business. One day he discovers Dad has been out poaching pheasants from the estate of the nasty, greedy Victor Hazell. Well, poaching pheasants for the pot is one thing; keeping pheasants purely in order for them to be shot, as Hazell does, is quite another! When Dad doesn’t return from a poaching run, Danny fears the worst, and sets off on a courageous journey to find him. Dad has fallen into a trap set by Hazell and his gamekeepers, but Danny manages to rescue him. Hazell, furious that he’s been outwitted, starts a campaign to throw Dad and Danny out of their home and business. With a little help from the village, Danny soon finds himself masterminding the most incredible and exciting plot ever attempted against Victor Hazell.
The production will be set in a somewhat rose-tinted, nostalgic 1950s – think something along the lines of The Darling Buds of May. It is of course the Stables’ Christmas show, and so needs to have all the larger-than-life fun, laughter and magic that a good Christmas show SHOULD have!
I’m not overly concerned about the characters’ ages (other than Danny, of course!) If you’re right for the part, that’s fine with me.
There will be a LOT of doubling-up; please see below. Actors could have a real ball with this, showing off their repertoire of comic characterisations!
A number of the cast will also need to operate some very simple hand puppets, and it would be great fun if those could become little characters in their own right.
I hope you’ll come along and be a part of one of Roald Dahl’s loveliest stories with me.
Characters
DANNY
Danny is a smashing lad. He’s bright, considerate, as well as brave and not afraid to stand up against unkindness and injustice. Playing age 9/10, though if you’re between say 10-16 years old and think you could be Danny, please come along and audition. Depending on age, experience and availability, I MIGHT cast two Dannys to share the role, but this is by no means definite.
DAD
Dad has looked after Danny by himself ever since his wife died. He’s ‘sparkly and twinkly,’ kind, and great fun. He’s Top Dad. A lovely part.
VICTOR HAZELL
A baddie through and through, with a ‘great, glistening, beery face.’ He’s our pantomime villain – a great fun part!
DR SPENCER
Down-to-earth, sensible, no nonsense, but with a sense of humour and as sharp as a tack. Lovely.
MRS CLIPSTONE
The vicar’s wife. A bit batty. Has a baby in a pram (or is that ALL she has in the pram.…??)
SERGEANT SAMWAYS
The village bobby. No time for nasty types like Hazell. Likes to put on his ‘proper policeman’ voice: ‘What, may I hask, is ‘appenin’ ‘ere?’
CHARLIE KINCH
The village cabbie. ‘Hail fellow well-met,’ salt of the earth.
And here are the doubling-ups:-
Female – Dr Spencer/Head Teacher/Gamekeeper 2/Shooting Party Guest
Female – Mrs Clipstone/Council Inspector/Shooting Party Guest
Male – Sergeant Samways/Shooting Party Guest
Male – Gamekeeper Rabbetts/Ambulance Man
Male – Charlie Kinch/Teacher (Mr Jackson)/Gamekeeper 3/Ambulance Man/Shooting Party Guest
Please take a look at the scenes below that I’d like to hear at the audition, taking note please of the characters’ doubling up.
Danny – solo speeches page 3 and page 86
Dad and Danny – scenes page 3, page 51, on page 51; and page 57 from ‘Your Mum was wonderful.’
Dr Spencer/Dad/Danny – scene page 33
Headteacher/Danny/Hazell/Gamekeeper Rabbetts – scene page 42
Hazell/Dad/Sergeant Samways (Dr Spencer will be ‘read in.’) scene page 73
Charlie Kinch/Dad/Danny – scenes page 6
Mrs Clipstone/Danny/Dad – scene page 8
Council Inspector/Danny – scene page 36
Hazell/Danny/Gamekeeper Rabettes/all Shooting Party – scene page 83.
Any questions, please email me at jane@stablestheatre.co.uk
Scripts are available to hire from the Box Office.
Tom’s Midnight Garden
Adapted for the stage by David Wood from the book by Philippa Pearce.
As the old grandfather clock chimes thirteen, a lonely boy creeps down the Victorian staircase. He walks out of the 1950s and into another world, another time and a garden that shouldn’t exist. Are the people there ghosts – or is the boy the ghost?
This beautiful and poignant story introduces the audience to Hatty, an orphan from the 1800s and Tom, a boy from the 1950s. Moving between time periods, Tom meets characters from Hatty’s world and shares in her sorrow, joy and love of life.
Adapted from the award winning novel, this haunting story explores friendship, love and loss, and enduring human spirit. Tom’s Midnight Garden is a magical, enchanting story which will delight audiences young and old.
“At last we get a Christmas play with a superb storyline which has everything – magic, suspense, ghosts, wonder!” Birmingham Post.
A Stables production directed by Niall Whitehead and Barbara Ward.
Cast
1950s
Tom – Harper Jackson
Peter – TBC
Aunt Gwen – Helen Evans
Uncle Alan – Adrian Bowd
Mrs Bartholomew – Di Cheesewright
1880s/90s
Young Hatty – Rachel Nash
Middle Hatty – Emily Cooper
Adult Hatty – Jessie Whitehead
Aunt Grace – Julia Allen
Abel – Rich Keeble
Susan – Charly Guyatt
James – Munro Scott
Edgar – Jess Webb
Hubert – Katie Marks
Barty – Lewis Jones
Ely Tower Guide – Yvonne Rees
Physical Theatre Group – Sightseers/Skaters/Voices: Emily Barnard, Elle Brookes-Doolan, Rachel Nash, Jessie Whitehead, Charly Guyatt, Katie Marks, Jess Webb, Munro Scott, Harry Leigh, Lewis Jones
