Rule of Thumb
Key Dates
Information Evening: Monday 26th May 2025, 7.30pm, in the Playhouse bar
Auditions: Friday 13th June 2025, 7.30pm, in the Playhouse bar
Performances: Wednesday 8th October 2025 to Saturday 11th October 2025
Entrance to the Playhouse for the audition and info evening is via the back gate (next to the red stage door) in Middle Wall at 7pm.
Plot Summary
This triple bill of one act, Agatha Christie, mystery thrillers, combines; The Rats (directed by Gemma Conway), a dark and chilling tale in which a pair of adulterous lovers find themselves lured to a flat, trapped like rats and gradually discovering they are in way over their heads. The Patient (directed by Will Cooper), a tense thriller in which a woman, after seemingly falling from her balcony, has been hospitalized and is being visited by her family …. and the police. And, finally, The Wasp’s Nest (directed by Amy Harrington), which sees Hercule Poirot’s attempt to come between a bitter triangle of lovers, and prevent a sinister murder from taking place. This is also the order in which the plays will take place on the performance evenings.
Information Evening
The information evening will be your chance to find out more about the production; including the directors’ concepts, set design, how the logistics of the performance evenings will go ahead, the rehearsal process, and a refresher about how the auditions are going to work.
Auditions
The audition will be held in front of a panel of all three directors, and it will be done in an “in the round” style in the Lindley Room (Bar) in front of the other auditionees. The plays will be auditioned in the order of The Rats, The Wasp’s Nest, and finally The Patient. Due to the rehearsal schedule, no performer can be in more than one of the three plays.
Script Availability
Scripts are available from Dan Coles (Production Co-ordinator): invictadan@googlemail.com
Audition Pieces & Character Descriptions
The Rats
Character Descriptions
SANDRA GREY: David’s lover. Confident but a bit naive. Playing age 30-50.
JENNIFER BRICE: Clever & a bit sly. Playing age 30-50.
DAVID FORRESTER: The lover of Sandra. Charming with a bit of a mean streak. Playing age 30-50.
ALEC HANBURY: elegant, effeminate & spiteful. Playing age 30-50.
Audition Pieces
SANDRA & JENNIFER: Start of page 9, until the bottom of page 12.
SANDRA & DAVID: Page 15 “it’s been quite a while’ – bottom page 17.
SANDRA, DAVID & ALEC: Page 19 “who do you think?”, until bottom page 21 “But why? Exciting, isn’t it?”.
SANDRA & DAVID: Page 25 “Alec? Why should Alec lock us in?”, until bottom page 26 “Don’t! Don’t look inside!”.
The Wasp’s Nest
Character Descriptions
CHARLES HARBOROUGH: Owner of the estate. An old-school gentleman. Rather like an affable yet gruff colonel. An old friend of Poirot. Older fiancé of Nina.
HERCULE POIROT: A Belgian private detective who, whilst in the area for an investigation, decides to drop in to see his old friend Charles. Poirot is comedically clumsy with the English language and could be conceived as “prissy” in his demeanour, and these help to camouflage one of the sharpest detective minds in the world.
NINA BELLAMY: Younger fiancé to Charles. Former fiancé to Claud. A well-meaning if naive young lady, who desperately wants everyone else to be happy.
CLAUD LANGDON: Fiery tempered, yet understanding, former fiancé to Nina. Has made an “olive branch” offer to take care of a wasp’s nest on Charles’ estate.
Audition Pieces
NINA AND CLAUD: Start of page 69, until “I’m in a bad mood today” page 70.
CHARLES AND CLAUD: Bottom of page 78 “hullo”, until page 80 (devil face).
POIROT AND CHARLES: Page 73 “you’ve not told me what you’re doing in this part of the world”, until page 77 “several hundred wasps”.
POIROT AND CHARLES: Page 81 “how did you know?”, until page 83 “I… I” (cue break down).
The Patient
Character Descriptions
DR GINSBERG, (30-50) (M/F): An intelligent, calming presence amongst all the characters. Does not go to emotional extremes.
INSPECTOR CRAY, (Not age specific) (M/F): Characterisation should exude authority and to have commanding presence in how they speak.
BRYAN WINGFIELD, 30-50 (M): The Patient’s husband. Should be charming and exude care for The Patient, but happy for the sincerity nature of these statements.
EMMELINE ROSS, 30-50 (F): The Patient’s sister. Haughty and judgemental, although it comes from a place of caring.
WILLIAM ROSS, 30-50 (M): The Patient’s brother. Caring, but prone to quick changes in temper that must be conveyed convincingly throughout.
BRENDA JACKSON, 30-50 (F): Wingfield’s secretary. Should be stressed and defensive due to Emmeline’s questioning and is aware of being the lowest ranking person in the room.
LANSEN, 20 – 40 (M/F): A fastidious character, in charge of the equipment that becomes the centrepiece of the play.
NURSE, 20 -35 (F): Caring and professional but should be able to subtly express the connections between her and Wingfield, and the narrative of the play.
THE PATIENT, 30-50 (F): Panicked and nervous. Must be comfortable with bandages on the face and being able to be still for an extended period of time.
Audition Pieces
DR GINSBERG, LANSEN, NURSE, INSPECTOR: – Page 37 to 38 “Trouble with you is you’ve no respect for science’.
EMMELINE, WINGIFELD, ROSS, BRENDA, GINSBERG, NURSE – Page 46 “I hate to say it…” to page 48 “I don’t quite understand what…”.
INSPECTOR, GINSBERG, PATIENT – Page 63 “Could it be B for Burglar” to page 64 “Right”.