Audition: The Unfriend by Steven Moffat

Audition: Wednesday 8th April, 19:45
Performance dates: 9/10/11 July
Directed by Hannah Rogers

The story follows Peter and Debbie, a typical, high-strung British couple who meet Elsa Jean Krakowski, a lusty and overly friendly American widow, while on a cruise. Like many holiday-makers, they engage in polite small talk and, in a moment of social obligation, casually tell Elsa she should “look them up” if she is ever in England.

To their horror, Elsa takes them up on the offer. Months later, she arrives at their doorstep. Just before her arrival, they discover a chilling series of news reports: Elsa is a Trump-loving extremist who is suspected of being a serial killer.

Despite knowing they are likely inviting a murderer into their home, Peter and Debbie find themselves paralysed by their own social conditioning. They are so terrified of being rude that they cannot bring themselves to confront her or ask her to leave.

As Elsa embeds herself in their lives, she begins to influence their two rebellious teenage children and “fix” the family’s problems in her own potentially lethal way. The play descends into a farcical nightmare as the couple tries to protect their family while maintaining the facade of being good hosts.

Main Characters

Peter
A quintessential middle-class Englishman who is pathologically polite and conflict-averse. His inability to be rude or say no is the primary driver of the plot, as he would rather risk his family’s safety than endure an awkward social confrontation.

Debbie
Peter’s wife, who shares his British reserve but is more prone to visible anxiety and frustration. While she is deeply protective of her family and suspicious of their guest, she is equally trapped by the fear of appearing impolite.

Elsa Jean Krakowski
A boisterous, larger-than-life American widow. She is intensely friendly, boundary-blind, and carries a dark secret: she is suspected of being a serial killer. Despite her Trump-loving opinions, she is paradoxically helpful and actually improves the behaviour and health of the couple’s children.

Supporting Characters

Alex
The couple’s teenage son. At the start of the play, he is a typical grumpy, video-game-obsessed adolescent. Under Elsa’s influence, he undergoes a dramatic transformation.

Rosie
The couple’s teenage daughter. Initially stroppy and prone to shouting, she—like her brother—becomes more loving, kind, and positive after spending time with Elsa.

The Neighbour
A somewhat irritating man who frequently interrupts the family to complain about a garden wall. He serves as a constant reminder of the mundane social obligations Peter and Debbie are desperate to escape.

PC Junkin
An enthusiastic giddy police officer who appears in Act 2. He is completely oblivious to the potential danger Elsa poses and instead becomes quite charmed by her.

We will need the usual backstage help so please let us know if you can assist. Please contact Hannah if you can’t make the audition but would like to be auditioned at another time prior to the main casting with the full casting panel.