Sheila's Island: Audition Notice
Sheila's Island by Tim Firth
Presented By UP CLOSE THEATRE
Performances: APRIL 2026
Venue: VARIOUS
About the Play
Sheila's Island is a comedic and touching play by Tim Firth (Calendar Girls, Neville's Island) that follows four middle-aged businesswomen on a team-building weekend gone hilariously wrong. Stranded on an island in the Lake District with no phones, no food, and no clue, they must navigate not only the outdoors but each other's quirks, secrets, and simmering tensions. Think The Office meets Survivor with a strong feminist punch.
Audition Details
Audition Dates: FRIDAY 4th July, 8pm
Location: Up Close Studio, 28a Bridgland Street Bideford
Cold reads from the script.
Rehearsals begin: November 2025
Rehearsal schedule: Tuesdays at 7pm & Fridays at 8pm and from February Sundays from 10am
The Characters
(All roles are female-identifying, playing ages 20s–50s)
- Sheila – The team leader. Earnest, emotionally brittle, and trying to hold everything together. Nervous energy with a need to please.
- Fay – Ultra-religious and seemingly serene but hiding emotional scars. Hints of emotional fragility beneath the surface.
- Denise – Sarcastic, cynical, and fiercely intelligent. A natural contrarian with sharp wit.
- Julie – The most down-to-earth and practical. Often the peacemaker but not afraid to call people out.
- Accents: Neutral or light regional British (specifics can be discussed in rehearsal).
What to Prepare...
No monologues required.You will be asked to read scenes from the script with others.Please come prepared to move and interact. This is a physically dynamic play with comedic timing and ensemble work at its heart.
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Come join us for this hilarious and heartfelt comedy about women, wilderness, and what happens when the GPS fails and personalities take over!