United Kingdom

Cast required will all play as ensemble but specialise as follows:-

Ratty
Excellent tall male character actor with good comic timing and strong singing voice, playing age 35 – 55. Ability to play an insrument a great advantage.

Gaolers Daughter/Baby Otter
Petite female actor/musician playing age 18 – 30. Good singer and must be highly skilled at drums, fiddle and/or brass.

Badger/Pan
Tall well built character actor with commanding presence, playing age 30 – 50, must be a strong singer and have experience of stage combat.

Auntie/Barge Driver
A stout female character actor, playing age 25 – 45 very strong singer with experience of close harmonies. Preferably skilled at drums, piano or brass.

Toad
An excellent charismatic rotund actor who can convincingly play an icon of childrens literature. As one of the lead characters the show rests on a strong, grounded central performance in this role. Must have a really strong versatile singing voice and strong movement skills.

Chief Weasel/Otter
Tall slim character actor playing age 30 - 50 very strong singer with experience of close harmonies and must be highly skilled at drums, piano or brass.

Gaoler/ Water Rat
Male character actor/musician playing age 30 – 60. Good singer and must be highly skilled at drums and/or brass.

Mole
Short male comedic character actor, playing age 25 – 45, must be a strong singer with experience of close harmonies.

Building on the success of last year’s Alice In Wonderland, the previous years production of The Lion The Witch And The Wardrobe and the world premier of When Santa Fell To Earth in 2009, The Brewhouse in Somerset has earned a reputation for its innovative, high quality Christmas shows. Casting is now underway on the show for 2012/13 – the much loved adventure of The Wind In The Willows by Kenneth Graham. Set in rural England in 1936 the show will be a new bespoke adaptation.

The Brewhouse has developed a collaborative theatrical ensemble style of working, which allows performers and the creative team to play to their strengths and take ownership of the creative process. In order to facilitate this methodology it is important to cast good team players, who are keen to push their artistic practice. All of the ensemble will need good comic timing and strong movement skills and must be willing to change their appearance for the course of the run. The music is based on the sound of ‘Swing’ from the 1930’s so ability with brass instruments, fiddle and/or banjo would be particularly useful, puppetry and stage combat experience is also an advantage.

Submissions should be made by 6pm Tuesday 10th July. Auditions will take place in London on the 18th and 19th July and in Somerset on the 20th July. Rehearsals begin on Monday 12th November and the show runs from Friday 7th December until Saturday 5th January with a range of morning, afternoon and evening performances. There will also be a read through of the draft script on 1st October 2012, which all cast members will be invited to take part in. The Brewhouse is in the centre of Taunton, Somerset’s county town which is 90 minutes from London in the heart of the beautiful West Country.

Suggestions for these roles only please should be sent to:-
Willows Casting
The Brewhouse
Coal Orchard
Taunton
Somerset
TA1 1JL

Or e-mailed with ‘Willows Casting’ in the subject line to casting@thebrewhouse.net

No phone calls please. Only successful candidates will be contacted and all submissions will be held for future castings unless otherwise requested.