Audition

I auditioned today for a local Shakespeare festival. I don’t know how I did. I have not acted in 17 years and there was rust up there on the stage. I started off talking too low and the director had to ask me to project. Not a good sign. They asked other auditioners to stick around, but told me I could go. Not a good sign. Maybe they don’t need a 280-lb. spear carrier.

The audition started off with me reading Iago, a part for which I could not be more ill-suited. Later they asked me to read this speech from Othello, and I think I did okay with it:

BRABANTIO
O thou foul thief, where hast thou stow'd my daughter?
Damn'd as thou art, thou hast enchanted her;
For I'll refer me to all things of sense,
If she in chains of magic were not bound,
Whether a maid so tender, fair and happy,
So opposite to marriage that she shunned
The wealthy curled darlings of our nation,
Would ever have, to incur a general mock,
Run from her guardage to the sooty bosom
Of such a thing as thou, to fear, not to delight.
Judge me the world, if 'tis not gross in sense
That thou hast practised on her with foul charms,
Abused her delicate youth with drugs or minerals
That weaken motion: I'll have't disputed on;
'Tis probable and palpable to thinking.
I therefore apprehend and do attach thee
For an abuser of the world, a practiser
Of arts inhibited and out of warrant.
Lay hold upon him: if he do resist,
Subdue him at his peril.

It’s a good speech, in which I got to play an emotional, aggrieved father who is narrow-minded and superstitious, and a racist in the line, “the sooty bosom of such a thing as thou”. I filled the lines with values that showed I knew what I was saying; I had some good emotion going. I did not get cheated, but showed them what I can do. We'll see if it's good enough.

I hope I get cast, as I love acting Shakespeare. I’ll let you know if I made it as soon as they let me know.

I'll take the rest of the weekend off from blogging as I catch up on work. Back to the mundane world of the day job...