As 2021 begins, the Players are looking towards the future. We feel that while the start of the year 2021 is starting with a huge amount of uncertainty as to when it will be safe, and viable to return to the live stage, that the year is likely to conclude in a much more positive place.
While the Players will return to normal theatre performance as soon it is viable and safe for cast and crew, as well as audiences, in line with the current government guidance, they feel it imperative to keep working and creating in the interim.
For the time being therefore, the Players are working over cyberspace, with actors and crew joining us on screen from their home studios, creating new dramatic performances online, where audiences all over the world can access the performance, and the cast & crew can earn equal shares of whatever is made from the online performances ticket sales (every penny goes to the actors and
crew).
With the beginning of 2021, the Players are launching open auditions for the next major project. This show will initially be performed as part of Bristol Shakespeare Festival, in July, with the likelihood that to keep cast, crew and audiences safe, this will be digital. The intention then is for a physical tour of this show, when it is safe, and viable to do so, in the autumn of 2021, around the South Devon area – and maybe further afield.
As always, the South Devon Players performances of Shakespeare’s dramas are performed to an extremely high standard, with a team of people ranging from established professionals, to complete beginners; with most roles open to actors of any gender, and welcoming actors of all backgrounds and ethnicities. Henry V is no different. While in the original text there are only two female roles, the company is a big advocate of “genderblind”, and inclusive casting, increasing the amount of roles available to non-male actors.
The company as always is committed to a safe, positive and pleasant environment, where everyone can create and develop to the best of their ability; to create groundbreaking new theatre.
The South Devon Players Theatre and Film Company, are developing a proud tradition of creating world-class historical and classical dramas. In 2019, their production of Macbeth, was booked for a second tour and won an international theatre award in New York for its professionalism and creativity. Laura Jury, the director of that production of Macbeth, & many of the Player’s shows, and founder of the theatre company, has returned to lead this new project. In 2020, Laura was selected to appear in an online Shakespeare project by the Globe Theatre. With lockdown, the Players have been using the internet to perform and stream digital theatre from Brixham, around the world to global audiences, with growing excellent feedback.
Due to the Covid pandemic, the castings are taking place online, as will the rehearsals, though once it becomes safe to return to the rehearsal hall, we shall do so, at our rented space at Chestnut Community Centre, in Brixham.
The South Devon Players Theatre & Film Company cordially invite anyone interested to visit the company website at www.southdevonplayers.com to access the audition pack and find out more about the project. The company welcomes all enquiries and applications for roles, and is delighted to hear from new talent wishing to join our team. Auditions close on Feb 28th2021.
