Growing Pains and Tuna Fish Eulogy
The evening is still being finalised but will include Growing Pains by Kim Southey; and also Tuna Fish Eulogy by Lindsay Price
Growing Pains – A coming-of-age comical drama, exploring the challenges of leaving behind a childhood you’re reluctant to let go of.
Tuna Fish Eulogy – Albert was no ordinary child. He liked nothing more than to sit and count his tins of tuna in his kitchen cupboard. One day, he was found dead and two tins were missing. Twelve years later, his grown-up ghost has returned to interview his mother and the babysitter to reconcile what happened. Did they do it, or was it suicide?
Kitty isn’t cool, and she’s okay with that. For the most part. Kitty was always a worrier, but with a playful nature and love of stories, she sought refuge in her imagination.
On returning home from university and discovering her childhood diary, Kitty is suddenly faced with the trials of adolescence she never quite managed to hide from. Reminiscing with laughter and tears, Kitty shares stories of friendship and boys, growing boobs and her first thong, and how to accept herself for who she really is.
Growing Pains is a coming-of-age comical drama, exploring the challenges of leaving behind a childhood you’re reluctant to let go of.
Returning from its first successful run at the Hope Theatre in Highbury and Islington in 2022, this new adaptation of Growing Pains will transition from a one-woman play into an ensemble piece for the first time. The play, originally staged at RADA Studios for my dissertation, has gone on many leaps and turns over the years but I’m so excited to create a new version exclusively for the Barn. The play also includes some beautiful original composition written specifically for the play. Honest, heartfelt and apparently funny.
I’m particularly keen to hear from young creatives who would like to try their hand at production roles for the first time!
As this is the first time this play has been an ensemble piece, some of the roles may combine or adapt accordingly throughout the collaborative rehearsal process. Will be a large-ish cast of at least 10 individuals. Playing age not to put people off auditioning for the child roles.
Adult Kitty (19-21, female) Main protagonist, narrates a lot of the story. Insecure and anxious but honest and likeable. Introspective.
Child Kitty (6-12, female)
Teenage Kitty (14-18, female)
Kitty’s Mum (30s/40s, female)
Young Gina (8-14, female) Kitty’s older sister, bossy, seemingly self-assured but with hidden battles.
Teenage Gina (16-20, female)
Young Elijah (6-12, female) Kitty’s friend. Lives in the moment, easy going.
Teenage Elijah (14-18, female)
Tom Buckley (14, male)
Sasha (13-14, female) Elijah’s cousin and ‘the bitch of Kitty’s childhood’. Sassy, pretty, confident and outspoken. Classic mean girl.
Sasha’s Mum (30s/40s, female) Lady of leisure. Wealthy and very ‘darling’.
Gabby (14, female) Sasha’s ‘thick’ friend. Described as ‘someone with the brain of Crabbe and Goyle but with high heels and long blond hair’.
Toys!
These are part of Kitty’s imagination – any age, and they may require puppetry. I encourage you to experiment with creating original characters!
Nutty – newly bought squirrel, female
Nuts – lonely squirrel, male
Fuzz – newly bought bear, sweet-natured and shy, male
Prance – bouncy, energetic cat, female
Waddle – old Beanie Baby penguin, female
Coconut – leader of the toys, bear, male
Get in touch
[email protected]
A Ladder Play in One Act by Lindsay Price
Directed by Tristan Cameron
Playing Dates: 19th to 22nd February 2025
Rehearsals: From late November.
The play examines the tragedy of a young boy’s death twelve years on. Albert’s grown-up self appears as a ghost, hoping to reconcile what happened. As the story unfolds, mysteries arise: Was it suicide? Could it have been prevented? Who is responsible? His mother? The babysitter?
Written in the unique Ladder Play format, the text runs in vertical columns. Many passages are said in unison or across one another. Imagine two children in a playground informing you of an incident where they bumped heads, both telling you the same story from a different point of view at the same time. Intonation and inflection are essential in getting this across to the audience. If you are looking for a challenge, this is the play for you.
The characters below are listed with approximate playing ages – this is only a guide. The listings refer to the column headings used in the script.
Ms. Sully (listed as Woman One) – Playing Age 40 – Albert’s mother. She became pregnant at a young age and was pushed out by her parents to live on her own. The boyfriend, Albert’s father, left as soon as he found out. Struggling as a single mother, she hired a babysitter so she could work and make ends meet. On returning to the events of her son’s death, she experiences a real emotional rollercoaster.
Cherry (listed as Woman Two) – Playing Age 30 – Perhaps too young to be a babysitter when she started. She could cater to all of Albert’s physical needs but never really connected with him. Cherry comes across as a very practical person but lacks imagination. Playing a game to her would mean opening a box and following the instructions. She can be judgmental. In the present day, she is now a mother of two and seems bored by the examination of the past. She wants to say her bit and return to her current life.
Young Albert (listed as Man Two) – Playing Age 12 – A small, scruffy child who loves nothing more than to sing in church and count his 12 tins of tuna fish in the kitchen cupboard. People find him strange, and few really understand him – this is the flashback form of Albert.
Albert – The Ghost (listed as Man Two) – Playing Age 24 – The grown-up ghost form of Albert. Being older, he’s more articulate and better adjusted. His demeanor is soft and occasionally apologetic – he remembers every detail.
Others (Listed as Man One) – M and F of any age – This column plays the part of 7 cameo characters, traditionally cast as one person, but I’m looking for two: a male and a female voice. Actors will need the ability to quickly change their body language, posture, and voice to fit each role without the use of props or costumes. The characters will be divided equally between the two:
Mediator: (male or female): A well-spoken professional.
Reverend: (male or female): A kind and caring person.
Boyfriend: Young, a bit immature, not ready to be a parent.
Ms. Sully’s Mother and Father: Traditionalists, very prim and proper, more worried about their own image than their daughter.
Cherry’s Mother and Father: Down-to-earth, no airs and graces.
For Scripts, please contact Tristan Cameron
[email protected]
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An Evening of One-Act Plays
Tuna Fish Eulogy has no specific diversity message within its narrative. Although American in origin, the play can be cast with complete neutrality on race/ethnicity. Parts of its story lend themselves to gender and age specificity in certain roles but this could be open to artistic judgement, permitting maximum flexibility to achieve the most diverse cast possible.
Part 1, 18th Jan 8pm
Part 2, 19th Jan 8pm
Parts 1+2 20th Jan 2.30pm
Part 1, 23rd Jan 8pm
Part 2, 24th Jan 8pm
Part 1, 25th Jan 8pm
Part 2, 26th Jan 8pm
Part 1, 27th Jan 2.30pm
Part 2, 27th Jan 8pm
