Auditions for Nov's "The Lady in the Van" by Alan Bennett

On stage from November 13th to 28th, Sian Davis will be directing Alan Bennett's "The Lady in the Van" for Company Theatre at Belmont's Rose Centre. This is the (mostly) true story of the playwright's interactions with Mary Shepherd, an elderly woman who lived in a dilapidated van on his driveway in north London for the 15 years from 1974 to 1989. With much good humour and many touching moments, the heart-rending backstories and challenges of the mysterious & multi-talented lady in the van were also brought to life in a 2015 film starring Maggie Smith.
We're holding individual auditions on Saturday 22nd August in slots between 11am and 3pm in the Rose Centre's upstairs rehearsal room - accessible from the back of the building. These will be unpaid roles.
The roles in the production will be:
* Miss Shepherd (about 65)
* Alan Bennett (the playwright's public persona)
* Alan Bennett 2 (his inner persona)
* Mam (Alan Bennett's mother - in her 60s)
* Rufus (Alan Bennett's neighbour - husband of Pauline)
* Pauline (neighbour - wife of Rufus)
* Social Worker (a female role)
* Underwood (a dilapidated figure)
* Mam's Doctor
* Leo Fairchild (Miss Shepherd's brother)
* Lout
* Ambulance Driver
* Miss Shepherd's Doctor
* Interviewer
* Priest
If you have any questions, or would like a copy of the script and/or to book an audition slot, please email Company Theatre's Stephen Hood ([email protected]) or director Sian at [email protected]
The audition pieces below are taken from the play's script. There's no need for auditionees to learn lines - please just familiarise yourselves with the play and audition piece(s). Several characters have been doubled up - these characters will be auditioned for in their doubled-up form:
*Miss Shepherd - p.40 “People are waiting”…….”make a nun if I argued”.
p.53 “No,. There was never love”….. “Christ have mercy”.
p.71-72 “The soul in question”…….”Yes, he was my teacher”.
*Alan Bennett - p.64 “No. Though I resent it”…….”point of exit”.
*Alan Bennett 2 - p.2 “The smell is sweet”……”she has departed”.
*Mam(60s)/ Doctor - p.58-59 Doctor “As you can appreciate”…..”could be expected”.
*Rufus/ Ambulance Driver - p.5-6 “It’s a pretty house”….” This is a community”. (with Alan Bennett & Pauline)
*Pauline - p.18 “You should have called the police”. …….(exit)
*Social Worker - p.14-15 “Miss Shepherd. I’m Jane….. didn’t mean that, obviously”. (with Miss Shepherd & Alan Bennett)
*Underwood(m.)/ Ambulance Driver - p.28-29 “Lady. Lady. Are you there, lady?...…” (goes) (with Alan Bennett)
*Leo Fairchild(mid.aged)/ Lout - p.75-76 “Mr Bennett?......forgive Margaret everything”.
*Media Interviewer(m./f.) (if m. /Priest) - p.11-12 “What was your first play about?.... “I saw a woman getting in”. (with Alan Bennett)
Sian's most recent stints directing for Company Theatre were August 2024's "Home Land", "Death of a Salesman" in August 2023, and May 2021's "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" - with her acting in, and more recently directing, numerous successful plays over the years.