Current Productions

Sleeping Beauty is a British-style pantomime, written especially for the International Players. For those who have never encountered this very special genre, the British pantomime – although it has its roots in the commedia dell’arte which involved mime – has nothing to do with a mime show. It is a musical comedy based on a traditional folk story or fairy tale, aimed at both children and adults, with a great deal of silly jokes as well as audience participation, including “singalong” songs the audience can join in. There are also certain conventions, notably that the leading male role – the “principal boy” – is played by a woman and there is always a “dame” – a comic female character played by a man. Pantomimes have been popular for over 150 years and are still played in over half the theatres in Britain during the Christmas season.

The skeleton of our version of story keeps fairly closely to the Brothers Grimm version: a King omits to invite a certain fairy to the christening of his daughter; furious, the fairy puts a curse on the princess saying that she will die when she pricks her finger on a spinning wheel, but another fairy commutes the curse to a 100-year coma which includes everyone in the palace. An impenetrable forest grows up around the palace, hiding it from view until, 100 years later, a prince arrives at the opportune moment and discovers it. He wakes the princess with a kiss, life returns to the palace, he marries her, and they live happily ever after.

The Narrator - He or she is the storyteller, who could be somewhat eccentric. This is a non-singing role.

Basil, the King of Arcania - A pleasant, rather ineffectual but sometimes authoritarian king, with an eye for the ladies. Chorus singing in 3 different songs.

Goodbody, the nanny - This is the larger-than-life “pantomime dame” who often interacts with the audience. Forceful, overly flirtatious, but basically nice. Chorus singing in 3 different songs and solo singing in a patter song.

Panache, the French teacher - Ideally played by a Frenchman. He speaks heavily accented English. He falls in love with and marries Charlotte, one of the ladies-in-waiting. Chorus and solo singing in 5 different songs.

Scooter, a palace factotum - A pleasant but sometimes outspoken young man, in love with Poppy, a lady-in-waiting, whom he marries. Chorus singing in 4 different songs as well as solo/duo in a love duet.

Enema/Pogo - A double role. In Act I, a male nurse; in Act II, Florestan’s down-to-earth, practical servant. Chorus singing in 4 different songs.

Twister - Maladicta’s servant. Ridiculously evil and obsequious. This is a non-singing role, although he could sing in the final chorus number.

Trivia, the Queen - Over-sensitive, obsessed with bad smells and sailors. Chorus singing in 3 different songs.

Maladicta, a fairy godmother - Thoroughly evil and loves making fatal potions. One solo song and (possibly) one chorus song.

Frezia/Rosalinda - In Act I she is a nurse, in Act II, she is the Princess: beautiful but mindless, always making terrible jokes, with a laugh like a horse. Chorus singing in 3 songs and solo/duo in a love duet.

Elastica/Florestan - In Act I, she is a nurse; in Act II she is the “principal boy”: a handsome, stupid, perpetually excited prince who loves killing things. Chorus singing in 4 songs, solo/duo in a love duet.

Bella, a fairy godmother - Like the other fairy godmothers, she looks more like a middle-class housewife than a fairy. Poised and elegant. Chorus singing in 3 different songs, solo in one short song.

Harmonia, a fairy godmother -Slightly intellectual. Chorus singing in 3 different songs, one solo line in one of the songs.

Spirita, a fairy godmother - Rather more superficial and light-hearted than the other fairies. Chorus singing in 3 different songs, one solo line in one of the songs.

Poppy, a lady-in-waiting - She is the ingénue, a very pleasant young woman, in love with Scooter in Act I and his wife in Act II. Chorus singing in 6 different songs, with solo lines in one of them, and solo/duo in a love duet.

Charlotte, a lady-in-waiting - A romantic at heart. She falls in love with Panache and is his wife in Act II. Chorus singing in 6 songs with solo lines in one of them.

Babs, a lady-in-waiting - Pragmatic and, to some extent, the leader of the pack. Chorus singing in 6 songs.

Crystal, a lady-in-waiting - Not too bright to say the least. Chorus singing in 6 songs.

Gina, a lady-in-waiting - Obsessed with sex. Chorus singing in 6 songs.

Mavis, a lady-in-waiting - Shy, and perpetually embarrassed. Chorus singing in 6 songs.

Children’s roles: (6 boys or girls aged about 10-12)

The children are in four scenes:

• as palace children in a classroom with their French teacher, Panache, in Act I;

• in the finale of Act I;

• as different palace children somewhere in the palace in Act II;

• as Spirits of the Forest in Act II.

They sing a song in each scene. At least four of them have small speaking parts in Act II.

To sign up to audition, please email auditions@internationalplayers.org with your preferred dates, phone number and which role you would like to audition for if you have a preference.

Auditions in Le Pecq

Monday 21st September from 8 pm.

Wednesday 23rd, September from 8 pm.

Auditions in Paris

Friday 25th September from 2 pm.

Sunday 27th September from 2 pm.

You don’t need to learn or prepare an audition piece. We’ll give you extracts from the show to look at when you arrive.

However, we would like you to try and learn a short phrase from one of the show’s songs.

We’e not looking for exceptional singing voices – the songs are not demanding and you don’t have to read music.

Please find music and lyrics on the google drive here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1BwOxbC5HcOhQZxJRk6osuQwO9ESbZ53z?usp=drive_link

If you are unable to use or access this google drive, please email auditions@internationalplayers.org.