Charlotte Brontë has a confession about how one sister became an idol, and the other became known as the third sister. You know the one. No, not that one. The other, other one… Anne.
This is not a story about well-behaved women. This is a story about the power of words. It’s about sisters and sisterhood, love and jealousy, support and competition.
Sarah Gordon’s play is an irreverent retelling of the life and legend of the Brontë sisters, and the story of the sibling power dynamics that shaped their uneven rise to fame.
Open Reading and Auditions
On Monday 2nd March there will be an open reading of this play, starting at 7:30pm at the theatre. This reading is open to anyone interested in auditioning, finding out more about the play, or anyone who simply likes to read plays, or to hear a play read aloud.
Auditions for the play will then take place on Sunday 8th March at 2pm and Tuesday 10th March at 730pm. Information about the auditions will be given at the reading.
Attendance at the reading would be useful but anyone unable to attend the reading or auditions should email the director Anne-marie Greene at anne-marie.greene@criteriontheatre.co.uk for alternative details.
Cast Details (7-9 in cast)
Charlotte Brontë – elder sister, narrator, ambitious, judgemental, a force of nature.
Emily Brontë – middle sister, fiery, most poetic of the sisters, truth speaker, woman of action, roller of eyeballs.
Anne Brontë – younger sister, seemingly mild-mannered, gentle soul but with hidden rage
Branwell Brontë - volatile, highly strung, sickly, does some serious drinking.
3-5 actor ensemble - gender neutral, physically active, playing 30+ characters, as well as a potted plant, a portrait, a carriage, and various sundry bits and pieces. All listed ensemble roles have lines.
Reviews of the play
"The ever-enduring yet constantly contended myths surrounding the Brontë sisters are impishly upended in Sarah Gordon’s raucously funny new play... which mixes gothic tropes with family drama and astute literary criticism." Marianka Swain, London Theatre Reviews
"a portrait of the competition and mutual support that often co-exist among sisters, and of the challenges of being a female novelist in early Victorian times...jolly good fun" Paul Lewis, Theatre Reviews.
"This is a wild romp that toes the line between the sober and the surreal... before pulling on our heartstrings in the closing throes." The Arts Despatch
"‘Underdog’ is a very funny play... It has nuanced points about authorship, legacy and family... you’ll have fun, and you’ll probably want to read ‘The Tenant of Wildfell Hall’ afterwards". TimeOut.
EDI Assessment
In line with our EDI policy, we undertake an EDI impact assessment of all our artistic programming. This play deals with the issue of historical gender discrimination. For the purposes of the story narrative, specific playing gender identifications are called for. Otherwise there can be flexibility around casting with regard to ethnicity, age and disability.