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The Unfortunates by Aoise Stratford
Directed by Peta Beattie & Lauren Willett
An Amateur Production By Arrangement with ORiGiNTM Theatrical, on behalf of Theatrical Rights Worldwide
Audition Notice
Wednesday 27th May - 7.30PM
Thursday 28th May - 7.30PM
St. Mark's Church Hall, Buderim
OPEN audition - everyone is welcome! Scripts will be provided.
Show Dates
Friday, August 28th 7.30PM
Saturday, August 29th 2PM & 7.30PM
Friday, September 4th 7.30PM
Saturday, September 5th 2PM & 7.30PM
About the Play
Mary Jane Kelly has a problem. She’s a pound forty behind in her rent, her window is broken, she has lost her key, her boyfriend just moved out AND it’s 1888—not a good time to be poor and “unfortunate” on the streets of London.
Mary only has two ways to secure her own front door. One of them is prostitution. The other is selling something she shouldn’t have in the first place, something she’ll have to betray her murdered best friend and herself to give up. And somewhere out there in the foggy shadows, one of the world’s most notorious criminals is at work.
The Unfortunates is a dark and intimate ghost story that deals with the stark and often uncomfortable reality of the lives of women in Victorian era London, England. Please be warned that there is coarse language, references to sex work and other adult themes.
Characters:
This is a play with 12+ characters. We are seeking 6-10 actors to play solo or multiple roles.
MARY JANE KELLY
A prostitute in her 20s-40s. This is a complex lead, Mary is charismatic, vulnerable and defiant. Capable of warmth and intimacy, but also volatility and denial. Carries the weight of the play and requires strong emotional range and stamina.
LANDLORD
A Whitechapel slum-lord, . Pragmatic, opportunistic, and desensitized to suffering. Represents systemic exploitation rather than outright villainy. Can be played with dry humour or quiet menace.
POLICEMAN
An East Ender policeman. Local, grounded, and practical. Not necessarily heroic—may be weary, dismissive, or out of his depth.
LUCY
A prostitute in her 20s-40s. Street-smart and sharp-tongued.
CATH EDDOWES
A prostitute and alcoholic, 40s-50s. Based on Catherine Eddowes. Worn down but spirited; carries humour and tragedy in equal measure. Alcohol masks pain but doesn’t erase insight.
LIZ STRIDE
A prostitute and alcoholic, 30s-50s, Swedish. Based on Elizabeth Stride. Physically distinct; outsider status heightened by nationality and hardship. Tough, guarded, possibly brittle.
JOE
A Fishporter, Mary’s former lover. In his 20s-40s. Based on Joseph Barnett. Grounded and sincere; still cares deeply for Mary. Torn between love, frustration, and helplessness.
CHARLIE
A policeman, Mary’s friend. More personable than other authority figures. Friendly, possibly conflicted—bridges the gap between institutional power and personal loyalty.
MR MARCH
A gentleman, client of a West End brothel. Polished, entitled, and detached. Represents upper-class hypocrisy.
PROPRIETRESS
Madam of a West End brothel. Controlled, businesslike, and socially adept. Maintains order and appearances. Not necessarily cruel—pragmatic within her world.
COUSIN
A prostitute, Welsh. Serves as a contrast to Mary.
CONSTABLE HUTT
Senior policeman and desk clerk. Irish. Experienced, procedural, possibly jaded. Balances bureaucracy with street knowledge.
CONSTABLE WATKINS
A rookie beat policeman. Inexperienced, alert, possibly anxious. A sense of duty mixed with uncertainty.
INQUISITOR
Leading the inquest into the Whitechapel murders. Formal, authoritative, and controlled. Represents institutional voice and public narrative.
DOCTOR BROWN
Am experienced autopsy doctor. Clinical, composed, and matter-of-fact. Brings a chilling contrast—objective language describing horrific realities.
3 WITNESSES
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Gossip: Energetic, intrusive, thrives on speculation.
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Vigilante: Aggressive, self-righteous, reactive.
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Gentleman: Composed, possibly unreliable or self-serving.