by Terrence Rattigan

Directed by Roger Beaumont

Performance:  

Tuesday 11th - Saturday 15th November at 7:45pm

Matineé on Saturday 15th November at 3pm

AUDITIONS

• Sunday 27th July at 6pm
• Monday 28th July at 7pm

If successful, you will be asked to attend recalls on Thursday 31st July at 7pm.

Please read the play before auditioning. Actors should then fill in the audition form (link below) and attend on one of the two audition dates above. Please aim to arrive 10 minutes before the scheduled start time.

Please register by completing an audition form here.

The audition pieces are available here. 

You will be asked to state the characters you wish to audition for – your first and second choice, if applicable. You should prepare the audition pieces associated with those roles. That means make yourself familiar with them and understand them. You are not expected to learn them.

Please don't hesitate to reach out with any questions by emailing the director at ptcdeepbluesea2025@gmail.com

About the Play

“To see yourself as the world sees you may be very brave, but it can also be very foolish. To love with one's eyes open sometimes makes life very difficult"

Terence Rattigan was one of our great stage writers and The Deep Blue Sea one of his master works. In Hester Collyer, his main protagonist, he has created one of the great stage heroines: strong-willed, unconventional, and complex.

Set in 1952 in post-Blitz London and Hester’s life is in turmoil. She gambled her life – her home, her status, her marriage to a High Court judge – to pursue a life with RAF dashing fighter pilot Freddie, and it seems she has lost. But with unexpected help, Hester stares into the abyss and tries to find a new way of living.

CAST

• Hester Collyer 35 – 45 Complex and passionate. Searching for meaning in her life
• Mrs Elton 55 – 65 Caretaker / Housekeeper to the flats.
• Philip Welch 24 – 34 Lives in the boarding house. An office worker. Married to Ann.
• Ann Welch 20 – 30 Lives in the boarding house. An office worker. Married to Philip.
• Mr Miller 40 – 50 Another resident. A Doctor. German, with a slight accent.
• Sir William Collyer 45 - 50 Hester’s husband. A high court judge. Forceful.
• Freddie Page 25 – 35 Hester’s lover. A former RAF fighter pilot. Boyish.
• Jackie Jackson 25 - 35 Freddie’s friend and also a former RAF pilot.

Rehearsals

Rehearsals will take place mainly at Putney Arts Theatre on evenings and weekends from early September. Additionally there will be some “table work” based upon preparatory text work which may be done remotely towards the end of August. Actors should expect to be called for 2 to 4 rehearsals a week during the rehearsal period. It is assumed that if you audition you are available for all the performance dates including 9th & 10th November for Tech and Dress Rehearsals.

Diversity, Inclusion & Casting Vision

PTC is committed to diversity and inclusion. We want a membership that is reflective of the diverse communities within London. We actively encourage all performers to audition for the roles which they feel best suit their skills.

 Where ethnicities are not listed against the characters, we would openly encourage actors of all ethnicities to consider those roles.

COSTS

Please note that this is an amateur production. You do not need to be a member of Putney Theatre Company to audition, but actors and crew will need to become a member of Putney Theatre Company to take part in the show. That cost is currently £30 a year.

There is also a show fee of £30 which will need to be paid by all actors in the production, which goes towards the cost of putting on the show and insurance.

We encourage you to become a member of PTC anyway, even if not cast.

Our company is run by volunteers and we expect all actors cast in a production to volunteer for Front of House duties at least once a year. Our shows could not go up without our Front of House volunteers.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

PTC knows that taking part in a show can be a significant financial burden. We are committed to being as inclusive as possible. So, if you would like to discuss how we can help you, a member of the committee will be able to confidentially assist. Please enquire for more information. Rest assured, if you have requested financial assistance, it will have no bearing on whether you are cast in the show.

OTHER WAYS TO GET INVOLVED

There are always other ways to be involved in the production other than auditioning. If you would like to be a part of the production team please email ptcdeepbluesea2025@gmail.com. 

We are looking for people to get involved with the following roles:

• Props
• Costume
• Assistant stage managers
• Set builders