Calling all comedy players

We are looking for an ensemble to perform at our Lark in the Park charity event on Sunday 7th June.

Our very own Kate Jackson has written a fabulous comedy play called ‘THE FUN FACTORY’ which is all about the story behind Music Hall performers. There will be slap stick, laughs and a sing-a-long with the audience as we meet some of the greatest known Vauderville stars including Charlie Chaplin, Lillie Langtry and Max Miller.

Kate will be directing the play and is looking for 8/9 Male roles and 6/7 Female roles to make up the cast. So if you’re good with physical comedy, can tell a good joke and hold a tune, come along to our fun audition on Saturday 11th April from 11am in Age Concern Centre, San Pedro.

For more information contact Kate WhatsApp +34 664 10 26 36

THE FUN FACTORY Synopsis & Roles

The first half of the play takes place on Tagg’s Island on the outskirts of London on an Island by Hampton Court, where Vaudeville Impresario Fred Karno has bought and developed a huge project, having invested huge personal wealth. He calls it The Karsino. It’s a luxury hotel and Casino and he is launching an opening Vaudeville night with some of his most popular performers from his famous Fun Factory.

These performers include Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel .

He is hoping for a huge success having risen to fame at his Fun Factoryin Camberwell, but the move out of town is a disaster and they are left with no one in the audience. His hopes are dashed as they rehearse for the big night and no one turns up.

The First World War is brewing and Chaplin plans to jump ship for America, as does Stan Laurel. Relationships are torn apart in the wake of the looming war. Karno, after years of fame and hard work is left bankrupt.

The setting then moves to the early 1930s where Karno has reformed himself and now has some more, soon to be mega famous, performers such as Max Miller and Flanagan and Allen. He is touring his troupe and the play takes place in at The Brighton Hippodrome, where Karno’s performers are appearing alongside some other famous performers of the time such as Suzette Tarri and Arthur Lucan. Karno has reinvented himself, but WW2 is coming and theatre impresario George Blackand theatrical agent Julius Darewskipoach his performers as their ambition overrides their loyalty to Karno.

There are some simple numbers suitable for singalongs, but a perfect voice is not necessary. These performers in their day were no great voices either. The spirit of entertainment was more important than technically perfect voices! The piece is a celebration of these figures with some great excuses for fun singalongs in a comedic context.

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FRED KARNO

Vaudeville entrepreneur. Age 47. Extremely well known in his day he launched the career of many famous artists. He was mean yet generous; shy yet flamboyant; ruthless yet benevolent; charismatic yet vicious

CHARLIE CHAPLIN

Aged 24 (but not important), A young Chaplin learning his craft. He was a genius but arrogant, withdrawn, reserved, and even anti-social. He is in love with Hetty Kelly.

STAN LAUREL

Although he played a simple minded bumblers, hewas actually amajor creative force. A genius writer and he was an innovative thinker and tireless worker . Kind, gentle, and generous man. Age 23 (but not important)

HETTY KING

Male impersonator who worked with Karno and then toured Europe entertaining the troupes in WW1. A consummate artist with immense vitality. Famousfor her ¨Burlington Bertie From Bow¨

Age 30 (but not important)

HETTY KELLY

Met Chaplin working with Karno. She was in a troupe called The Yankee-DoodleGirls. Young and beautiful from an Irish family she was too young to marry Chaplin without parental consent. After Chaplin left her to go to USA she died, during the Spanish Flu epidemic. Astriking presence but had somewhat cautious, working-class demeanour who was trying to appear mature.Age 15

¨WILL HAY

Famous for his bumbling authority figure characters, he was in real life extremely intelligent. An engineer, pilot and astronomer. His behaviourcould be unsettling. Colleagues remembered him as intensely private, serious, and eccentric. However a loyal man. Age 25 (but doesn’t matter)

LILLIE LANGTRY

AGE 60. Once a great beauty and famous for being the mistress of the future King Edward V11. She transitioned to a successful career in Hollywood and continued performing until age 65. Famous for her Edwardian dramas and Shakespearean roles such as Cleopatra. Fiercely independent, intelligent, witty, unconventional and charming. To her friends she was dedicated and compassionate

Yankee Doodle Girls

Two females also in the Hetty Kelly’s Troupe. Leggy and beautiful. They are back up to the other acts like, Chaplin, Laurel and Hay

Flanagan and Allen

Age late 30’s (but doesn’t matter)

Bud Flanagan; was widely regarded as a kind, generous, and well-loved person. An East End boy made good. He was famous for his working class appeal

Chesney Allen: Extremely nice man with time for everyone.

They first worked for Fred Karno

Max Miller

Age late 30s The Greatest of stand up comediens in his time. From humble beginnings he served in WW1 and worked for Fred Karno. He was a private man totally devoted to his wife

Arthur Lucan and his wife Kitty McShane

Arthur Lucan late 40s. A vaudeville star, he became famous on film for his drag character Old Mother Riley

Kitty, his wife,mid 30s, co-starred with him in all his acts.She often played his daughter when he played Old Mother Riley. He did not work for Karno

Suzette Tarri

Age 50 The first female stand up of her day. A cockney by birth her characters were earthy, harassed and gossiping working-classcharwomenor waitresses. She was a radio and vaudeville star.She did not work for Karno

George Black, impresario

Early 40´s. He founded thefirst permanent motion-picture theatres in the UK. He was managing director of The London Palladium and he managed the career of Flanagan and Allen when they left Karno. He was responsible for the Royal Variety Performance. They formed part of The Crazy Gang

Julius Darewski, variety agent

Age 50. A Jewish Theatrical agentwho stepped up Max Miller´s career . Max Miller went from being a review performer to a solo act stand up under his management. He poaches Miller from Karno