June 2018 Audition Notice
The Ghost Train by Arnold Ridley
Directed by Cliff Francis Performance Dates 14 – 16 June 2018
Audition Dates Sunday 18th February at 10:30am and
Wednesday 21st February 2018 at 8.00pm
Audition pieces available on request via contact@settlement-players.org.uk
Rehearsals will be on Monday, Wednesday and some Sundays starting
Monday 19th March 2018. Monday & Wednesday rehearsals will start at
8.00pm, Sunday’s will be advised.
A Synopsis:
An apparently stupid man accidently strands himself and 5 passengers at a remote Cornish Railway station, late one autumnal evening. With no more trains, no buses, no taxis or hotels, the 6 of them are forced to spend the night in the station waiting room. This being much to the chagrin of the stationmaster who encourages them to leave and recounts the local yarn of “The Ghost Train” to scare them into leaving.
Into this mix arrives a disturbed woman, seemingly escaping from the clutches of her
brother and a Doctor. Both of whom soon arrive searching for her. All against the backdrop of the soon to arrive Ghost Train and the pretentious warnings of tragedy that fall to all who see it. A classic thriller, we gradually get to know the characters and their reasons and motives for being there. Are all who they say they are, or is something more sinister afoot?
Great fun to play, it has laughs and surprises, and ghostly goings on, loud bangs and doors opening and closing by themselves and not to mention a ghost train.
A real ensemble piece, it’s all set in one room on one night, so the cast stay on set for the whole play.
The play was originally written in 1925 but remains a classic of its genre, only recently the Guardian called it the second scariest play ever written, second only to The Woman in Black.
The play requires a cast of 8 men and 4 women. I am not necessarily looking for particular ages for the majority of the parts, it will be building a cast that looks right together. So please come along and audition, and be part of another classic play, to follow Dial M for Murder.
We will be using the Samuel French Acting Edition of the play.
The Roles:
SAUL HODGKIN:
stationmaster at Fal Vale Station –
a great character part, ideally played by an older actor, appears principally in the first act and dramatically tells the story of the Ghost Train. Makes a reappearance at the
end.
RICHARD WINTHROP:
A business man, outspoken, a natural leader, a calm head, takes control and sees common sense prevail.
ELSIE WINTHROP:
Richard’s wife, not so easily frightened and in a marriage that is falling apart, with neither particularly interested in each other.
CHARLES MURDOCK:
Junior partner and expert engineer, in a failing family
business. Part for a younger actor, as it’s his wedding night, on his way for a
brief honeymoon before moving abroad to seek his fortune
PEGGY MURDOCK:
Newly married wife of Charles, very timid, easily spooked and seeking protection and reassurance.
MISS BOURNE:
Another fabulous character part, a mature Scottish spinster travelling with her budgie. Gets accidently drunk, fabulous comedy scene.
TEDDIE DEAKIN:
The buffoon will strands everyone at the station, seemingly a harmless if annoying twerp. Or is there more to Teddie, is he really the twit he likes to seem?
JULIA PRICE:
a seemingly disturbed woman, terrified and haunted by The
Ghost Train that she witnessed the previous year, or did she and is she. Is
there more to Julia than it first seems?
HERBERT PRICE:
declares himself to be Julia’s brother and concerned for her health and welfare, or again is there more to him than it first appears. A smaller part, makes 2 brief but dramatic appearances.
JOHN STERLING:
a sinister character, claims to be Julia’s Doctor but it soon becomes clear his medical knowledge is very limited, so who is he, where does he fit in?
JACKSON and SMITH:
both detectives who only appear at the climax of the play, with a few lines each.