19:00, Wed 24th August 2011 at Arcola theatre, London
Summer Vacation

Five or six actors/dancers are needed for a performance of THE BOY THE FOREST AND THE DESERT, a short contemporary opera, at the Arcola Theatre's Grimeborn festival this summer (24th August). The festival teasingly takes its name from the rather exclusive Glyndebourne opera festival, presenting instead a grimey, youthful, alternative version of what opera can be (see wikipedia for more details). The piece's themes are initiation and individual and societal responses to the environment, presented in a fairy-tale like narrative on several different levels at once (narration, song, and physical theatre). The parts to be cast are for The Boy (the lead and only spoken part; people of both sexes encouraged to enquire), and the five mute actors/dancers, who perform a number of roles (spirits, children doing forced labour, animals) as well as coming together to form tableaux (machines, geographical features, etc). Experience of classical music might be useful, but is really not essential. You would need to be free on the 22nd-24th august, perhaps with a day earlier in the month for an informal rehearsal. The piece is to be directed by the talented french-finnish Alexandre Barriere. Auditions will be held, but in the first instance please email kimbashton@cantab.net