Audition Excerpt for Duke FerdinandThis is a featured page


AUDITION NOTES:
  • The production team will provide you with a scene partner to read with.
  • Memorizing the text is not required.
  • Mr. Hopkins is requesting you perform two pieces:
  1. The first will be of your choosing. (Our hope is that this will help warm you up and help you feel more comfortable before taking a pass at Webster's text, which can be challenging)
  2. The second will be from our script and is printed below.
  • There are additional notes to consider in the column on the right. These are here to give you more context IF you find that useful. Don't overdo it! There will be no written exam! :)

And most importantly enjoy yourself. We do not expect a "perfect" performance. We merely want a sense of who you are and what you may be able to contribute to our production. Have fun and we appreciate everyone's efforts in advance.
It will be great to meet you all face to face!
Jordan Morris: Producer




THE EXCERPT:


FERDINAND
Is she dead?

BOSOLA
She is what
You'd have her. But here, begin your pity:
Alas, how have her children offended?

FERDINAND
The death
Of young wolves is never to be pitied.

BOSOLA
Fix your eye here.

FERDINAND
Constantly.

BOSOLA
Do you not weep?
Other sins only speak; murder shrieks out.
The element of water moistens the earth,
But blood flies upwards and bedews the heavens.

FERDINAND
Cover her face, mine eyes dazzle; she died young.

BOSOLA
I think not so; her infelicity
Seem'd to have years too many.

FERDINAND
She and I were twins,
And should I die this instant, I had liv'd
Her time to a minute.

BOSOLA
It seems she was born first.
You have bloodily approv'd the ancient truth,
That kindred commonly do worse agree
Than remote strangers.

FERDINAND
Let me see her face again.
Why didst thou not pity her? What an excellent
Honest man mightst thou have been,
If thou hadst borne her to some sanctuary,
Or, bold in a good cause, oppos'd thyself
With thy advanced sword above thy head,
Between her innocence and my revenge?
I bade thee, when I was distracted of my wits,
Go kill my dearest friend; and thou hast done't.
For let me but examine well the cause:
What was the meanness of her match to me?
Only I must confess I had a hope,
Had she continu'd widow, to have gain'd
An infinite mass of treasure by her death,
And that was the main cause: her marriage,
That drew a stream of gall quite through my heart.
For thee, as we observe in tragedies
That a good actor many times is curs'd
For playing a villain's part, I hate thee for 't;
And, for my sake, say thou hast done much ill well.

BOSOLA
Let me quicken your memory, for I perceive
You are falling into ingratitude; I challenge
The reward due to my service.

FERDINAND
I'll tell thee
What I'll give thee.

BOSOLA
Do.

FERDINAND
I'll give thee a pardon
For this murder.

BOSOLA
Ha!

FERDINAND
Yes, and 'tis
The largest bounty I can study to do thee.
By what authority didst thou execute
This bloody sentence?

BOSOLA
By yours!

FERDINAND
Mine? Was I her judge?
Did any ceremonial form of law
Doom her to not-being? Did a complete jury
Deliver her conviction up i' the court?
Where shalt thou find this judgment register'd,
Unless in hell? See, like a bloody fool
Thou'st forfeited thy life; and thou shalt die for't.

BOSOLA
The office of justice is perverted quite
When one thief hangs another. Who shall dare
To reveal this?

FERDINAND
O, I'll tell thee:
The wolf shall find her grave and scrape it up,
Not to devour the corpse but to discover
The horrid murder.

BOSOLA
You, not I, shall quake for't.

FERDINAND
Leave me.

BOSOLA
I will first receive my pension.

FERDINAND
You are a villain.

BOSOLA
When your ingratitude
Is judge, I am so.

FERDINAND
O horror,
That not the fear of him which binds the devils
Can prescribe man obedience.
Never look upon me more.

BOSOLA
Why, fare thee well;
Your brother and yourself are worthy men.
You have a pair of hearts are hollow graves,
Rotten and rotting others, and your vengeance,
Like two chain'd-bullets, still goes arm in arm.
You may be brothers; for treason, like the plague,
Doth take much in a blood. I stand like one
That long hath ta'en a sweet and golden dream;
I am angry with myself, now that I wake.

FERDINAND
Get thee into some unknown part o' the world,
That I may never see thee.

BOSOLA
Let me know
Wherefore I should be thus neglected? Sir,
I serv'd your tyranny and rather strove
To satisfy yourself than all the world;
And though I loath'd the evil, yet I lov'd
You that did counsel it, and rather sought
To appear a true servant than an honest man.

FERDINAND
I'll go hunt the badger by owl-light;
'Tis a deed of darkness.

END

Some context:


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Hopkins

As you study the excerpt and prepare for your audition, also consider the following questions that Mr. Hopkins may ask you:

What does the term 'family romance' (as a psychological condition)
mean to you?

This role is huge and demands high octane energy and stamina. Are you prepared for that and what are your thoughts on maintaining such a level of activity for such a long rehearsal period and run?

How do you go about interpreting madness?

Are you prepared to "moon" the company and audience?

Later in his story, this explosive and incendiary character loses all boundaries. How do you feel your own inhibitions may or may not restrict your performance?


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