Call out for puppeteers in Meet Fred, a Hijinx production in association with Blind Summit.
Location: Cardiff (UK)
Type: Theater
A cloth puppet fights prejudice every day. Fred just wants to be part of the real world, to get a job and meet a girl, but when threatened with losing his PLA (Puppetry Living Allowance), Fred’s life begins to spiral out of his control.
Meet Fred is an adult theatre show with a puppet as its main character. Performed by a cast of 7: 3 bunraku puppeteers to control Fred and 4 actors, 3 of whom are artists with a learning disability and/or autism.
It was a sell-out and critical hit at Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2016 and has been touring the world ever since. To date it has been performed over 200 times, in 109 cities across 17 countries on 3 continents and the show continues to be in high demand. Therefore, we are looking for experienced Bunraku puppeteers for continued international touring opportunities in Autumn 2019 and into 2020.
Bunraku Puppeteer – Head
Male – age 25+
The head puppeteer controls Fred’s head and left arm, he is the voice of Fred.
Experience of bunraku puppetry on the head essential.
Full clean driving licence desirable and confidence to drive outside the UK.
Available for touring Autumn 2019.
Bunraku Puppeteers – Back/Feet
Non gender specific
Experience of bunraku puppetry desirable
These roles are currently cast for Autumn 2019, however we are interested in increasing our pool of potential puppeteers for future touring.
Full clean driving licence desirable and confidence to drive outside the UK.
Cardiff base desirable.
2019 tour dates
23rd – 28th Sept Cardiff rehearsals and performances (Thurs, Fri, Sat) at Sherman Theatre
01-07 Oct China ***TBC***
10-13 Oct Budapest, Hungary
19-21 Oct Brunswick, Germany
10-13 Nov Neuchatel, Switzerland
15-20 Nov Gothenburg, Sweden
Please note, if you are available you may be required to share driving with our technician for one leg either side of bookings.
Auditions will be held on the 15th July in Cardiff.
Unfortunately we cannot provide expenses to attend auditions.
Due to vulnerable adults being members of the cast a DBS check will be a condition of the engagement.
Hijinx are ITC Ethical Managers.
Payment:
Full week (4-6 days) – £510
Part week (up to 4 days) – £100 per day
All travel, accommodation, per diems (or meals where appropriate) provided.
To apply, please send your Spotlight profile or an up to date performance CV to ellis.wrightbrook@hijinx.org.uk by midday on Friday 21st June with a brief email introduction that states which role you are interested in.
All applicants will be contacted by the 28th June. If invited to interview, there will be a 45-minute group workshop for all auditionees in the morning, followed by individual performances of a short excerpt from the script, with Fred, alongside one of our actors. Excerpts of script will be provided prior to audition. There will then be recalls in the afternoon for a short interview.
Workshops and auditions will be with Director Ben Pettitt-Wade and members of the cast.
Interviews will be with Director Ben Pettitt-Wade and Producer Ellis Wrightbrook.
Payment: Paid
City or Location of call: Cardiff
Please submit to: ellis.wrightbrook@hijinx.org.uk by 2019-06-21
This casting notice was posted by: Hijinx