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AUDITION – The Fire Raisers (S2, 2024)
11/12/2023 @ 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm
‘The Fireraisers’ by Max Frisch
(translation by Alistair Beaton)
Directed by Andrew Ferguson,
performed in English and German
Auditions strictly by appointment only.
| Audition Dates | Start Time for Audition Date | Finish Time for Audition Date |
| Monday evening, 11 Dec | 19:30 | 22:00 |
| Tuesday evening, 12 Dec | 19:30 | 22:00 |
Audition Enquiries Contact
Character Listing
Gottlieb Biedermann
Babette Biedermann
Willi Eisenring
Leader of the Fire Brigade
Anna
Policeman & Doctor of Philosophy
Members of the Fire Brigade
Description of Characters
Gottlieb Biedermann: male, 40+
A ‘solid citizen’ and the millionaire manufacturer of a dubious hair tonic. His name suggests a respectable, unimaginative bourgeois who adheres rigidly to the social and ethical standards of his class. He consistently disregards the arsonists’ increasingly clear announcements of their intentions and ends, i.e. his naïve nature contributes to the burning down of his own home.
Babette Biedermann: female, 40+
Biedermann’s wife, who copies her husband slavishly in attempting to placate the arsonists; her husband assigns her unpleasant tasks in dealing with them. Her only mode of resistance is to reproach her husband for the good nature that allows him to take in strangers without thoroughly considering the consequences.
Willi Eisenring: male, 30+
One of the arsonists, who suddenly turns up in Biedermann’s attic. He wears evening dress; he was headwaiter at the Metropol restaurant “until it burned down.” He joins Schmitz (the other main arsonist) in intimidating the Biedermanns under a genial exterior.
Leader of the Fire Brigade (originally firemen): any gender, 20+
The mixed-gender fire brigade will be pre-recorded and projected during this production, delivering the original German text, with surtitles. They act as a ‘Greek chorus’, commenting on the action throughout the play. Their Leader appears live on stage, ‘interacting’ with the pre-recorded members of the fire brigade; preference in casting will be given to a bilingual German/English actor.
Anna: female, 20+
A maidservant in the Biedermann household; minor, but important role – a generally demure person, but with a fiery temper; appearances throughout the play.
Policeman & Doctor of Philosophy: male, 25+
One actor will play both these roles, which are minor but important. The Policeman makes only a brief appearance. The Doctor attempts to provide an academic perspective to the audience regarding developments in society towards the end of the play.
Members of the Fire Brigade: any gender, 20+
Must be fluent speakers of German; will be expected to learn several of the Fire Brigade Chorus sections of the script to be delivered to camera from memory for pre-recording, excerpts of which will be compiled for projection during the performances, i.e. these roles are not performed live.
Precast Characters
Schmitz
Widow Knechtling
Other Information
Auditions are strictly by appointment. Please email the Director to arrange a time. Please also provide a resume prior to the audition via email: [email protected].
Successful cast members MUST BE available for the full rehearsal period (6 February – 3 April 2024), with regular rehearsals on Sunday afternoons, and Tuesday & Thursday evenings, as well as all production dates (4 to 27 April 2024). Please check you are available for all dates before booking your audition time. Please also inform the Director at your audition, if there is a possibility of you taking on professional acting work that may conflict with rehearsal and performance dates.
A copy of the script will be provided, together with a list of the sections to be read at audition. It is expected that auditionees will have read the play and have a reasonable understanding of it.