King Charles III
By Mike Bartlett
Director: Emily Miller
Synopsis
In 2015, Mike Bartlett wrote of an imagined future where Queen Elizabeth dies and Prince Charles ascends the throne. Flashforward to 2023, where Charles and Camilla now rule. See where fiction meets reality in this exploration of the people beneath the crowns, the unwritten rules of our democracy, those undermined in an ever-changing game of power, and the conscience or lack thereof of the Windsors.
Performance Dates
Oct 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21
Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, Sundays at 3pm
Audition Dates
July 6 and 9 at 7:00pm
King Charles III Character descriptions
Director’s Note: Hi Everyone, thanks for your interest in auditioning for King Charles III. A few quick things. These characters are based off some of the most famous people in the world, but in this play, they are merely fiction. I am not looking for imitations of the real things, but rather your interpretation of these characters. The same thing goes for physical appearance. I will not be requiring anyone to be wigged or have their hair dyed or made up a certain way. I highly encourage all ethnicities to audition for all parts. And finally, I will require accents. Specifically for the part of Jess, a cockney accent is encouraged but not necessary.
- King Charles III – M 50s+ – Heir to the British throne his entire life; now he is finally king; He genuinely believes he is the right person to rule and that his decisions are always correct.
Idealistic, Superior, Honest. - Camilla – F 50s+ – She is from the aristocracy and has loved Charles most of her life she expects to be the King’s consort; Loyal. Peacemaker. Intelligent.
- William – M 30s – Wishes to serve the crown in the time-honored way, but can be swayed. A little disconnected from the common man, but more in touch than Charles. Stately. Obedient.
Ambitious. - Catherine – F 30s – Upper middle-class woman who is now the wife of the heir to the throne; She always looks perfect for her part but behind the look is a sharp mind and nerves of steel.
Regal. Scheming. Fed Up. - Harry – M 20s – early 30s – The ‘spare’ and the press bad boy of the royals; feels trapped in by being a royal; he hungers for a freer life. Lonely. Passionate. Loveable.
- James Reiss – M or F 50s+ – Has been Charles’ press secretary for many years and his loyalty has never been questioned, but when push comes to shove his loyalty is to the crown and
institution and not the man. Steady. Deliberate. Intense. - Tristan Evans – M or F Late 30s-50s – Prime Minister of England; he’s worked well with the late queen but finds Charles and his beliefs too much; he tries desperately to hold the government
together and conduct business as usual. Pragmatic. Charming. Determined. - Mark Stevens – M or F 40s -60s – Head of the opposition party (conservative); he is a career politician; he is very fast on his feet when he senses opportunity and can play both sides.
Cunning. Shrewd. Smooth. - Jess – F 20s – An art student from a working-class family in Reading; as a commoner and a bit of a political rebel she is unimpressed by all things royal. Hard exterior, softer interior.
Cockney is a bonus! Fierce, tough but vulnerable. - Male Track 1: Spencer/Speaker of the House/Terry/Sir Michael/Archbishop – M 30s-40s – Spencer is one of Harry’s wilder friends. Speaker of the House in Parliament. Terry is Harry’s bodyguard. Sir Michael is the lead of the Metropolitan Police. Archbishop performs the coronation in the final scene.
- Male Track 2: Cootsey/Nick/Sir Gordon/Paul – M 30s-40s – Cootsey is one of Harry’s posh friends. Nick is a member of the Prime Minister’s staff. Sir Gordon is the Chief of the Defense Staff and Paul is a Kabob vendor.
- Female Track: Sarah/Ghost/News Woman/Tv Producer/Butler – F 30s-40s – Sarah is a member of the Prime Minister’s staff; Ghost is the ghost of Diana; TV producer, News Woman and Butler are all just that.