Dead of Night – The Exorcism
by Don Taylor
Production dates : January 8, 9, 10 & 11 2020
Directed by : Susanne Crosby
Contact details for any information, script request is: : suse@susannecrosby.com
Fresh from the stunning success of directing “Macbeth” Susanne now takes on a very different play; a classic ghost story.
Dan and Margaret have come to spend Christmas with Rachel and Edmund in their renovated seventeenth century cottage in beautiful countryside. As Rachel plays the piano, she suddenly gets a sinister feeling of déjà vu … shortly afterwards the electricity fails and the phone is out of order … it is the start of a series of macabre events which mount relentlessly to a bizarre and terrifying climax.
Set in 1972, when exorcism had more general meanings, this is about a centuries old injustce exorcised by long silent spirits and the four unfortunate people who are drawn unwillingly in …
This is perhaps best known for being the first in the “Dead of Night” series, broadcast on BBC television in 1972. Don Taylor directed the TV adaptation.
Play Reading
Monday October 7th : 7.45 pm – Southwick Community Centre, BN42 4TE
Auditions
Wednesday October 9th : 7.45 pm – Southwick Community Centre, BN42 4TE
&
Tuesday October 15th : 7.45 pm – Southwick Community Centre, BN42 4TE
Second date for call backs and for anyone not able to attend the first date
To audition, you do not have to be member of the Company. Do let me know if you want to audition but really can’t make the dates.
Rehearsals
Start in November
Cast
Dan : playing age between 30 – 50
Margaret : playing age between 30 – 50
Edmund : playing age between 30 – 50
Rachel : playing age between 30 – 50
Dan & Margaret, Rachel & Edmund: two happy couples with money. They are all very middle class, or bourgeois; and are all comfortably monied.
Dan : confident, outgoing man content with his position in life and happily materialistic. He’s a bit of a joker. Sometimes he goes too far to make a point.
Margaret : also confident and outgoing but slightly more sensitive than her husband. She is incredibly rational and is the one person among them who constantly searches for a rational explanation for the events that occur.
As a couple, Dan and Margaret have been married for some time, they love each other there is a light hearted banter between them that sometimes seems like there is an underlying irritation that comes from knowing each other incredibly well.
Edmund : is very practical, and takes charge when things start going awry. He does carry an inner conflict and / or guilt as he was brought up with more community values and has ascended from working class to middle class.
Rachel : is the least outgoing of the four of them but holds her own. She was once a music student and music is still very important to her. She is the most sensitive of the four, and has the biggest connection to what happens to them all during the play.
As a couple, Edmund and Rachel are slightly more serious than Dan and Margaret and it seems they have not been married as long as their friends.
All four characters are on stage for almost the entire play. This will require strong actors, and it’s an ideal opportunity to really get into and develop a great character role.
TV Newsreader : A newsreader typical of the 1970’s BBC of the time, for example Richard Baker, Kenneth Kendall, Angela Rippon. This will be a small filmed piece, used in the production.
Script
Available at play-reading
Audition pieces
1 : Rachel & Margaret – pdf file
2 : Dan & Edmund – 1 – pdf file
3 : Dan & Edmund – 2 – pdf file
4 : all 4 – pdf file
5 : all 4 extended call back piece – pdf file