by Steven Moffat
Play reading: 7.45pm, Tues 8 April 2025
Auditions: 7.45pm, Fri 18 April 2025 or 2pm, Sun 27 April 2025
Production dates: 25 September – 4 October 2025
While on holiday, Peter and Debbie befriend Elsa: a lusty, Trump-loving widow from Denver, USA. She’s less than woke but kind of wonderful. They agree to stay in touch – because no one ever really does, do they?
When Elsa invites herself to stay a few months later, they decide to look her up online. Too late, they learn the truth about Elsa Jean Krakowski. Deadly danger has just boarded a flight to London! But how do you protect all that you love from mortal peril without seeming, well, a bit impolite? Because guess who’s coming… to murder!
Steven Moffat’s play The Unfriend takes a hilarious and satirical look at middle-class England’s disastrous instinct always to appear nice. It was first performed at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester, in 2022, before transferring to London’s West End – first to the Criterion Theatre, then to Wyndham’s – in 2023.
Steven Moffat is an award-winning writer whose internationally successful television shows include Doctor Who, Sherlock and Dracula – the latter two co-written with actor and writer Mark Gatiss, who made his stage directorial debut with The Unfriend.
Characters
Elsa – female, 45-60
Peter – male, 30s/40s
Debbie – female, 30s/40s
Alex – male, 16-18
Rosie – female, 16-18
Neighbour – male, 60s
PC Junkin – male, 30s/40s
The play reading evening is a social evening to learn more about the play and to meet the director and other members of the Miller Theatre Company. This is held in the Studio.
Auditions are held on a Friday evening and a Sunday afternoon in the theatre a few weeks later. You only need to attend one of these audition days. The director and members of the production team will be on hand to welcome you and answer any questions you may have.
The Audition Notice contains a synopsis of the play, a description of the characters and relevant dates and contact details. It also contains a list of audition pieces so that any potential cast members can prepare for their audition.
The Studio is located behind the main theatre. Entry to the theatre for the auditions is via the Stage Door at the back of the theatre. Access to the Studio and Stage Door is via the side gate on the right of the theatre (click here for map).