Reading/Audition dates for April Studio production ‘The Just Price of Flowers’

 

THE JUST PRICE OF FLOWERS
By James Yarker
Stans Cafe

STUDIO PRODUCTION, LOFT THEATRE

Director: Mark Crossley

PERFORMANCE DATES: 22 – 26 APRIL, 2025
REHEARSALS WILL COMMENCE MID MARCH 2025
READING: THURSDAY 21 NOVEMBER AT 7.30 P.M.
AUDITION: SUNDAY 24 NOVEMBER AT 2.00 P.M.

LOFT STAGE DOOR

Do try to arrive on time so that you don’t miss lots of useful information about the play and being part of the production.

The reading and the audition will be held at the theatre. Please come to the Stage Door at the rear of the theatre in Spencer’s Yard. There is access through the gate to the left of The Fold on Spencer Street. Head in the direction of the red arrow.

 

THE REVIEW

“Credit-default swaps and short selling have never been so wryly entertaining or easy to understand. This production never sells its audience’s intelligence short. It also has plenty of fun while never neglecting the tragedy of ordinary people whose savings and pensions are the casualties in the greedy rush for gain.”
Lyn Gardner, The Guardian

THE PLAY
Director’s notes about the play

The Just Price of Flowers is a play written in the aftermath of the financial crisis of 2007, when global banking collapsed on top of millions of ordinary people around the world. Written by James Yarker, the artistic director of Birmingham based Stan’s Cafe* theatre company, the play approaches the subject matter through the historical allegory of the 17th century Dutch tulip mania. At that time, a craze for tulip bulbs spread throughout the country’s merchant classes, resulting in inflated prices with unsustainable borrowing and hence a spectacular market crash. The characters of this play are knowingly or unknowingly caught up in this rush for quick profits and the dream of a meteoric social climb. Whilst the text takes a 17th century slant on an early 20th century incident, it offers an abiding and witty insight into the human infatuation for money and status and therein, our continual vulnerability to the whims of the free market.
The play has a Brechtian quality; the characters represent, to some degree, a social archetype (banker, worker, social climber etc.) but they are still complex, three-dimensional figures. There will be a requirement for all actors to sing, but the emphasis is on the acting/spoken tone of the voice.

*Stan’s Cafe – pronounced caff and with no accent on the e 

THE CHARACTERS

Mr. Van Leasing (25-50) – who covets the florist’s tulips
Mrs. Van Leasing (25-50) – who joins her husband in coveting tulips
Van Driver (60+ near retirement) – the gardener for the Van Leasing’s, who just likes plants
Van Hire (30+) – the banker who is persuaded to lend, and lend and lend
Van Eek (25+) – the florist who sees an opportunity but knows when to step back
Van Tage (30+) – the financier who ‘helps’ to hedge the growing risks
Narrator (any age) – who frames the story with song and introductions to each scene.

Ages are a guide only

All roles can be played or portrayed by any gender (as in the original production) and this will be explored in the auditions.

AUDITION GUIDELINES

At the audition you will be required to read short sections of the script. You will be given time to look over this text with other actors on the day. There is no other preparation required for the audition, but it can be helpful to you – and is certainly helpful to the director – if you are familiar with the play. If you can’t come to the reading, then look at reviews or other information online in advance of the audition to give you a feel for what it is about.

NEXT STEPS

To register interest, or if you are interested but can’t make the dates, or for any more information, please get in touch with the director, Mark Crossley at markcrossley@lofttheatrecompany.com or for more general questions, including how to find us, contact the Artistic Director, Sue Moore at suemoore@lofttheatrecompany.com.

CASTING POLICY

The Loft’s casting policy is centred on casting the very best actors for each role. Casting will always be open and neutral. Everyone is welcome and warmly encouraged to attend auditions.  If specific race/ethnicity or other characteristics are central to the story, we will make this clear in audition notices. There is no pre-casting without the express permission of the Artistic Director.

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