Audition Notice: Cranford

AUDITION NOTICE – CRANFORD


Director: Robert Tremayne (Assisted by Vicky Newman)
Auditions: Monday 14th July 2025
Time & Venue: Ditchling Village Hall from 19:30
Performance Dates: 26th–29th November 2025
Rehearsals Begin: Tuesday 2nd September 2025


ABOUT THE PLAY
A warm, witty, and touching adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell’s beloved novel. Cranford paints a portrait of a quiet Cheshire town ruled by its women. Amidst bonnets, tea, and gentle scandal, they face change with resilience, humour, and heart. Narrated by Gaskell herself, this is a story of friendship, dignity, and unexpected romance.

REHEARSALS
Rehearsals will take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Ditchling Village Hall with occasional Sundays added as we approach show week.

CHARACTER BREAKDOWN & PLAYING AGES (Playing ages are flexible depending on auditionees)

  • Mrs Gaskell (F, 40s–60s): The older version of Mary Smith and the narrator. Warm, wise, and affectionate. Guides the audience through the events of her past with humour and emotion.
  • Miss Matilda Jenkyns (Miss Matty) (F, 50s–60s): Gentle, kind, and quietly dignified. Deeply beloved by the town, she is at the heart of Cranford’s community and its emotional story.
  • Martha (F, 20s–40s): Miss Matty’s loyal servant. Practical, blunt, and plain-speaking. Provides comic relief and touching loyalty.
  • Mary Smith (the younger version of Mrs Gaskell) (F, 20s–30s): Warm, thoughtful, and quietly humorous. A young outsider observing the world of Cranford with affection and keen intelligence.
  • Miss Pole (F, 40s–60s): Dramatic, excitable, and loves being the centre of gossip. Often prone to exaggeration, she’s both funny and frustrating.
  • Miss Barker (F, 40s–60s): A former milliner. Pompous and socially ambitious, with comic rivalry between her and Miss Pole.
  • Mrs Forrester (F, 50s–60s): Sweet, slightly scatterbrained, with a fondness for her dog. Another of Cranford’s lovable eccentrics.
  • The Honourable Mrs Jamieson (F, 50s–60s): Proud, snobbish, and obsessed with social status. Looks down on the other women but is secretly lonely.
  • Mr Hoggins (M, 40s–60s): Gruff but warm-hearted local doctor. Unconcerned with social pretensions, bringing warmth and humanity to the town.
  • Lady Glenmire (F, 40s–50s): Mrs Jamieson’s aristocratic sister-in-law. Surprisingly down-to-earth, shocks the community by falling in love with Mr Hoggins.
  • Jem Hearn (M, 20s–40s): Honest, hardworking carpenter. Courting Martha. Their romance adds warmth and hope to the story.

No previous experience necessary, we welcome new faces as well as familiar ones!

TO REGISTER YOUR INTEREST PLEASE SEND YOUR EMAIL, ADDRESS &
PHONE NO TO: chair@ditchlingplayers.org.uk

Spring 2025 Play Announced

Our spring production will be the comedy mystery Murder In Play by expert mystery writer Simon Brett His impressive track record includes over 60 published mystery novels and a plethora of awards including
Crime Writers Association’s Diamond Dagger. With a comedy track record working with Douglas Adams, Prunella Scales and Frank Muir you can be sure of laughs as well as mayhem,


Performances are Wed 21st to Sat 24th May, so put those dates in your diaries now!

Directed by Paul Davey, (last seen in If I Were You in 2024), Murder In Play is set in a provincial theatre where a motley troupe of actors assembled by director and impresario Boris Smolensky are rehearsing his latest play … until a death takes the action off script.

There is a range of male and female roles, and anyone interested in auditioning is encouraged to come to the read through on Monday, January 20th. More details can be found here.

November 2024 Production: A Christmas Carol

Production Dates – Wednesday 20th to Saturday 23rd November 2024

For our November 2024 production we’re thrilled to be performing an exciting adaptation of ‘A Christmas Carol’! Ebenezer Scrooge has had a life filled with wealth, but he is not a happy man. Even at Christmas he cannot find good cheer. His great wealth has turned his heart to stone. Deaf to the needs of his fellow men, he must journey through the Christmas’ Past, Present and those Yet to Be.

Robert Tremayne has kindly agreed to direct the production for us and has a wide experience with the performing arts as well as being a Founder & Executive Director of Dionysus Theatre.

Rehearsals are well underway and cast and crew look forward to seeing you at the show in November. Tickets will be on sale shortly with details to follow!

For more details contact – Chair, Ditchling Players – chair@ditchlingplayers.org.uk