The Habits

By Jack Bradfield

Directed by Justin Hopper

Performances: Tuesday 16 March – Saturday 20 March 2027.

An amateur production by arrangement with Nick Hern Books

Putney Arts Theatre Studio

Audition dates 

• Sunday 22nd November at 3pm
• Monday 23rd November at 7pm.

Recalls  (if needed) - Thursday 26th November 7pm

AUDITION INFORMATION:

Preparation:

Sides will be emailed to you in advance of your audition. Familiarity with the material is encouraged, although memorisation is not required. The Habits is an ensemble piece and actors will be expected to show aptitude for collaboration, teamwork and game playing. Please arrive on time.

Please email director Justin Hopper at hopper.justin@gmail.com if you would like to audition but cannot attend on the official dates or if you have any other queries. You can read a review of the last play Justin directed in the Putney Studio here:

https://markaspen.com/2026/03/19/stupid-darkness/

AUDITION FORM

Please fill in the audition form here by Saturday 21st November

If you are unable to attend please try to let us know at least 24 hours in advance for logistical reasons.

REHEARSAL period:

Rehearsals will take place, mainly at PTC, from the second week of January onwards for 2-3 evenings on Monday to Thursday, as well as a rehearsal on Sundays. Sometimes there may be a need to rehearse on Saturdays and to rehearse on different days and times. Please be prepared to rehearse on up to 4 days a week nearer to the performance week.

ABOUT THE PLAY:

It’s Thursday night at a board game café in Bromley. Jess, Maryn and Milo are continuing their quest to defeat the Nightmare King. All that stands between them and victory is a few rolls of a twenty-sided die. Plus, the fact that café owner Dennis wants to sell up. And his girlfriend Bev prefers Monopoly.

Funny, gripping and heartfelt, The Habits premiered at Hampstead Theatre in 2025. It uses the world of role-playing games to explore desire, grief and the relationship between fantasy and the real world. Although the play is much more about the characters than the mechanics of Dungeons & Dragons, actors should expect to play some D&D as part of the rehearsal process as well as exploring their character’s fantasy alter-egos.

‘Genuinely entertaining... crackles with sardonic humour’ The Times

'Enchanting... funny, tender and quietly inspiring' Arts Desk

Characters:

Playing ages included for audition purposes. Actual age of the actor is less important than their ability to create the character.

Jess

Female. A year 11 teenager with a playing age 15 - 17 years (applicants must be over 18). Clever and complex with a vivid imagination, she uses the game as a coping mechanism after the death of older brother. Jess is the Dungeon Master who brings the fantasy world to life for the other players. An intense and pivotal role in the play.

Milo*

Male. Playing age 20-30. Funny and sarcastic, Milo is struggling to find his place in the real world and a job he can stick at. In the game he plays a female warrior and there’s a lot of comedy in the disparity between his real gender and that of his character -- who gets pregnant.

Maryn*

Female, bisexual, playing age 20-30. An overworked trainee solicitor. The tension between her progressive ideals and the reality of her professional life give her a spiky energy. Her dynamic with Milo is a really important element of the drama.

Dennis*

Male, playing age 40-60. A bit of a nerd, Dennis is the owner of the board game café. He’s an avuncular figure whose passion for fantasy games is reignited by Jess. A recovering gambling addict, he struggles to keep everyone happy and combat his own obsessive tendencies. He also speaks Elvish. Ability to play guitar would be useful but not essential (please note on audition form).

Bev*

Female, playing age 40-60. A straight-talking Metropolitan Police officer, who prefers Monopoly to fantasy games, which she thinks are weird. She met Dennis at a Gamblers Anonymous meeting and they’ve started dating. She’s an outsider who gets pulled into the fantasy subculture and despite her initial brusqueness we discover she’s actually empathetic and up for a laugh.

*Please note that some of the characters briefly kiss in the play. We will engage an Intimacy Coordinator to ensure all actors are comfortable with these moments during the rehearsal process. Should you have any questions about this please make a note on your audition form or reach out to the director for more detail.

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. As a member you will have access to reduced ticket prices and other creative opportunities. There is no cost to audition.

There is also a show fee of £35 which will need to be paid by all actors in the production, which goes towards the cost of putting on the show and insurance.  It will include a copy of the script should those cast not have their own.

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.  

Backstage opportunities available include:

• Lighting operator

• Set construction

• Assistant stage manager

• Sound operator

• Costume assistants

• Hair and make up assistants

Please get in touch with info@putneyartstheatre.org.uk if you are interested in getting involved.

You can get in touch with director, Justin Hopper with any questions you may have by emailing hopper.justin@gmail.com