About the play
Be a part of Mon Sans Productions first international production!
To apply:
Please email Your headshot and CV to monsansproductions@gmail.com (with name of character you wish to apply for.)
The Various Methods of Escape is a bold 2 act Australian play about moving past traumatic experiences.
Grace has finally escaped 12 years in captivity. Once she returns to her family she is determined to discover a life for herself without the constant prescience of her captor. Grace’s kidnapping not only affected her but also each member of her family. Her father is racked with guilt and shame, her mother loses her identity in the fight to find her and her sister just wants permission to be her own person. This play examines how society comprehends and rationalises such an atrocity, leaving the audience to question their perceptions and beliefs.
“The Various Methods of Escape” premiere's in London after an acclaimed sell-out season in Sydney, Australia.
About The Company
Mon Sans Productions is an Australian based independent theatre company with a decade of original works behind it.
Est 2012, Mon Sans Productions was created to develop original plays and foster new talent. Many actors have gotten their first paid work through us and gone on to successful careers in TV and Film.
We develop plays that are unusual, thematically bold and challenging. Our approach to theatre places a strong emphasis on the performers and the strength of the text.
Liviu Monsted is the creative director and producer of the company. A published playwright and director known for works such as "Deadhouse: Tales of Sydney Morgue" and "Street"
Production History
The Various Methods of Escape is Amber Spooner’s first play, written as part of ‘The Hive’ program run by “The Street Theatre” in Canberra in 2019. It was later developed through “Script In Hand”, an open mic script development program run by “Actors Anonymous” in 2020.
After seeing segments of the play at the script development program "Script In Hand" I saw the audience’s fascination with the premise and decided to produce the show under the Mon Sans Productions banner.
The show battled through 2 years of Covid lock downs before finally premiering in 2022 to full houses at the Actor's Pulse in Sydney Australia.
Given the universal themes and alluring framing device of this play, it feels like a perfect fit for Mon Sans Productions first step into the London theatre scene.
Casting Information
Show Dates:
2 Week Run
Tech Day: Monday 2nd December
Week 1: Tuesday 3rd - Saturday 7th December
Week 2: Tuesday 10th - Saturday14th December
Rehearsals:
Show Dates:
Week 1: Tuesday 3rd - Saturday 7th December
Week 2: Tuesday 10th - Saturday14th December
Rehearsals:
Video Rehearsals 10 am -1pm Saturdays
From August 3rd- October 2nd
In Person Rehearsals 6-9pm Mondays
October 28th - December 3rd
Payment (expenses):
Actors will get a flat fee of 700 AUD - (350 GBP)
Rehearsal:
Their will be 10 online rehearsal with the director starting July.
and 6 in person rehearsals starting in November up to the performance week.
To apply:
Please email Your headshot and CV to monsansproductions@gmail.com (with name of character you wish to apply for.)
Character Breakdown:
GRACE: 19 years old. Held captive by Gregory for 13 years.
Grace is 6 months post captivity living with her parents and sisters. She is highly curious in learning everything for the first time while being hyper aware that she is far behind other women her age in terms of success and achievements. She is driven and ambitious with a desire to embrace this new world but is constantly haunted by Gregory and the rhythms of their life together. She struggles to become the person she wants to be when her old life is such a deep source of fascination for those around her.
HOPE: 16 years old. Grace's younger sister
Having no memory of her sister prior to her captivity, Hope has spent her life trying to make up for the gap in her parent's lives. She's incredibly smart, perceptive and compassionate, looking after Grace in a quiet, unassuming way. After years of conforming to manage her parent's grief she feels ready to explore her own identity and push against the boundaries set for her.
MOTHER: 42 years old, Hope and Grace's mother
Once an outspoken, brash and determined woman she has become a shell of her former self. She fought hard for her daughter's return but after a long and bitter search she fell victim to damning media reports and society's judgement. She is overjoyed by Grace's return and is desperate for Grace to feel a part of the family, hopeful that she might get a glimpse of her little girl. She struggles to connect with Grace, not wanting to overwhelm her but learns that being open and vulnerable builds the relationship she's always wanted.
FATHER: 45 years old Hope and Grace's father
The father battles with the guilt and shame that he was with Grace the day she was abducted and that his moment of inattention has changed the course of their whole lives.He is humorous and cheeky but also a deeply private man whose desire to understand Gregory and his actions threaten to fracture his relationship with his family. He is a loving father and husband but his razor sharp focus makes him strict with Hope and causes him to struggle to understand Grace's point of view.
GREGORY: 45 years old
A lonely and powerless individual, Gregory took Grace when he needed something to control, something that was his. He wanted to mould Grace into a person of his choosing and holds her in very high esteem. The play show's Grace's perception of Gregory. He is a mental projection seen through Graces complex lens of fear and obedience but also care and understanding.
