Les Enfants Terribles casting
Les Enfants Terribles by Jean Cocteau, by courtesy of Mr Bergé, President of the Comité Jean Cocteau
Adapted for the stage by Helen Shutt
This classic of French literature, Jean Cocteau’s masterwork, is being adapted for the English stage for the first time. It is the story of siblings Elisabeth and Paul and the fantasy world they create in the confines of the Room, manifested in the Game they play. This sensual, playful and surprising work is a tribute to the theatre of our imaginations, the inventiveness that is born of self-imposed confinement and above all, Cocteau’s ode to the beauty of youth.
This is a wonderful opportunity to be a part of a true theatrical event; Les Enfants Terribles has never before been performed in English and has never been adapted for straight theatre in the UK. There are four complex, large roles that will be both challenging and enormously fun. There are two male and two female roles, all of aged between 17-25, any ethnicity, details below. The play will run for three weeks at the White Bear Theatre, Kennington: 24th July 2012 - 11th August 2012, with rehearsals taking place over the preceding three weeks: 2nd July - 23rd July.
The first auditions will be in the form of a two hour workshop, followed by a recall, if successful. The workshops will take place on Saturday 12th May, with recalls the following day. If you would like to attend, please email casting@harbingercompany.org
Characters
Elisabeth- Quick witted and sharp tongued,’she is all ice and fire’… it is Elisabeth who owns the room and drives the theatre created in it. Men are enthralled by her beauty and thus allow themselves to be manipulated by her yet it is her brother Paul’s attentions which really occupy her. Orphaned at young age she takes up work as a model and later becomes engaged to a rich, American named Michael who dies on their wedding day.
Paul- At times lazy and petulant, his every move and action preoccupies and obsesses Elizabeth. Injured at a young age by the object of his affections, a school boy named Dargelos, he spends much of his youth bed bound and tended to by his sister. He later falls in love with Elisabeth’s friend Agathe and is devastared when she marries Gerard.
Gerard- Devoted observer of the siblings, he watches from the outsideand tries to make sense of the game they play, and even to partake himself. In love with first Paul and later Elisabeth, he is fascinated, enthralled and later horrified by the brother and sister. Elisabeth convinces Gerard to marry Agathe and he eventually distances himself from the two.
Agathe- A model whom Elisabeth befriends, she bares a striking resemblance to Dargelos. Like Gerard she becomes embroiled in the game the siblings play. Although in love with Paul, Elisabeth convinces her to marry Gerard.
About Harbinger Theatre
Harbinger Theatre is the theatre of pleasure. Our work is focused on the pleasure of playing, pretending, trying, crying, failing and laughing. No lofty political goals here; you, dear spectator, and your feelings are the reason we make theatre and our simple mission is to never make a piece of theatre you feel you ought to see. In addition, we like live music and we love to dance - you’ll often see both on our stages.
Les Enfants Terribles is our third production in London, following Romeo and Juliet de Buenos Aires - a mix of Shakespeare, Argentine Tango and live music - and the sell-out run of Lukas Raphael’s new translation of Arthur Schnitzler’s La Ronde, which whatsonstage called “a rare treat.”
