Auditions - "Breath of Spring"

“BREATH OF SPRING”
By Peter Coke | Directed by Steve Millar

Saturday 28 July, by appointment

On stage this October

3 Males / 5 Females

For further info or to book an audition time, contact Steve: 021 2322453

Characters:

• Nan (F) – Middle age. Singing teacher.
• Brigadier (M) – Middle age. Former army officer.
• Lily (F) – Young woman. Cockney housekeeper. Has a criminal past.
• Alice (F) – Middle age. Lady Miller. Upper class. Elegant but poor.
• Bee (F) – Middle age. Dame Beatrice Appleby. Eccentric in manner and clothes.
• Hattie (F) – Can be any age. Small, thin, untidy and birdlike.
• Detective Sergeant Pape (M) – Young man. Police officer.
• Police Constable Kemp (M) – Can be any age. A dour looking policeman.

Peter Coke’s play, “Breath of Spring” was a big hit when it was originally released, and was quickly adapted into the 1960 film, “Make Mine Mink”, which starred several great British actors, including Terry Thomas, Hattie Jacques, and a young Billie Whitelaw as the maid.

The title of this play may seem odd at first, but “Breath of Spring” was the name given to a naturally pale blue coloured, quite rare mink pelt, used in very expensive and exclusive clothing.

Dame Beatrice Appleby is a generous soul, but her money has run low and she has taken in paying guests, a rather disparate group, and Lily the maid, who is a reformed thief who has ‘done time’ in prison. Grateful for the chance that she has been given by Lady Beatrice, Lily presents her with a fur, opportunistically stolen from the neighbouring flat.

​The group put aside their differences and pull together to return the fur before it is missed. The excitement gets to all of them and they decide to steal furs to raise money to help those in need. Detective Sergeant Pape and P. C. Kemp turn up, and all Hell breaks loose as the gang try desperately to cover up every trace of their illegal activities …