AUDITION NOTICE: Dead Guilty
WT is committed to being a diverse and open organisation. Auditions are open to anyone, regardless of background or experience, and we particularly welcome those who have been traditionally under-represented in theatre.
Synopsis
When John Haddrell dies of a heart attack at the wheel of his car, the woman at his side is not his wife Margaret but his lover, Julia. Recovering from the injuries she sustained in the crash, Julia is visited by Margaret, who apparently knows nothing of the affair.
Margaret establishes a position in Julia’s life, to help with her ongoing recovery and care – perhaps somewhat treading on the toes of her home help, Gary, and her counsellor, Anne. Who is actually on Julia’s side? Are Julia’s problems in her head, or is somebody creating them – and if so, who and why?
Casting
This powerful psychological thriller has three female roles, one male role and the voice of a coroner (four lines, to be pre-recorded). All named characters have their moments and challenges for the actor playing them. Julia barely leaves the stage and Margaret has several significant monologues; Anne and Gary have fewer words but are no less important to the piece.
Please note that whilst Julia and Margaret give themselves specific ages, it is more important to get the correct chemistry and apparent age gap between them than to match absolute ages – thus, Julia could be late 20s to mid 40s, Margaret early 40s to late 50s
Characters
| Character | Description |
|---|---|
| Julia Darrow | Trying to get her life back together after an horrific crash. Describes herself in the text as 34. |
| Anne Bennett | Julia’s counsellor. Late 40s or older |
| Gary | The home help/handyman. Very willing, not the sharpest crayon in the box, maybe slightly socially awkward. Bit of a crush on Julia, though he tries to hide it. Mid 30s or older |
| Margaret Haddrell | The widow of John Haddrell. Describes herself in the text as 51 next October |
| Voice of the Coroner | Four lines to be pre-recorded, court-voiceover style |
Show Information & Auditions
Readthrough: Mon 12 May – 7:45pm – Wokingham Theatre
Auditions: Wed 14 & Thu 15 May – 7:45pm – Wokingham Theatre
Performances: Wed 3 to Sat 13 September 2025
Chris Westgate • Director
chris_westgate@hotmail.com
Claire Lawrence • Production Manager
claire@lawrencefamily.org
Please note, any non-members wishing to audition will need to become a member if they are cast, before they are able to take part in the show. You can find out more about membership here.