Content

Honeysuckle marks the theatrical debut of visual artist RF. Alvarez, bringing his expertise in painting to the stage with themes of queerness, memory, identity, and the lasting influence of the cowboy on American masculinity.

Set in Austin during Christmas 2016, the story unfolds as Lee prepares dinner for his boyfriend's soon-to-arrive parents. Unexpectedly, David, a gay artist in his seventies and a long-time family friend, shows up unbeknownst to Lee. When a storm knocks out the power and grounds flights, Lee and David find themselves weathering the storm together over martinis. Casual conversation turns into tension and honest revelations as their differing ideologies and desires come to the forefront. Each man harbors a secret, and the table cannot hold space for them both.

All rehearsals take place in central London (near Victoria). Script-in-hand, no memorisation. The play is 1 hour long. Dates are flexible depending on actor schedules.

Dates

Mon 16 Nov: Table read
Wed 18 Nov: R&D Day 1
Thu 19 Nov: R&D Day 2 + invited peer reading
Mon 23 Nov: Excerpt rehearsal
Tue 1 Dec: Excerpt rehearsal
Thu 3 Dec: Work-in-progress sharing with audience of 20 (date not flexible)

Roles

Roles Details

Title

Lee

Content

A gay Texan in his mid-twenties: warm, earnest and fiercely organised, with a quick wit and a big heart he keeps in check. Lee has spent days preparing the perfect Christmas dinner, and when an uninvited stranger arrives, his polished hospitality starts to crack. He grew up in the shadow of a cowboy grandfather and wants, more than anything, to belong. He is far more fragile, and far braver, than he first appears.
Key skills: natural, grounded truthfulness; sharp comic instincts and the ability to play straight man to a big presence; and the emotional openness to go from polite to raw over a single evening. A convincing American accent is essential, preferrably a but Texan; please demonstrate it in your self-tape.
Responsibilities: a table read, two R&D days, an invited reading and a short script-in-hand sharing. No memorisation. Your input will shape the next draft.
Note: Lee removes his shirt to an undershirt on stage.
We particularly welcome applications from gay and queer actors.

Salary

Estimated 32 hours of work Total: £630

Gender

Male Only

Age

20 - 35