About the Play
At its 1879 premiere, A Doll’s House cleaved its audience into two broad camps: those that left the theatre outraged at the play’s savage realism combined with its controversial stance on women’s place in society, and those who cheered and clapped enthusiastically for exactly the same reasons. The inspiration for the play came from a series of true events – a story that was, ironically, much darker and more terrible for the real life protagonist than it is for Nora, our heroine. Ibsen’s central theme is the painful struggle for the truth and auditionees will be encouraged to seek the truth in their multilayered, complex and challenging roles

About the director
Syd Mannion has been a familiar face both on and off stage in Auckland theatre for many years. As an actor and director he has been involved in a wide range of productions that include comedy, drama, multimedia, music and dance. Among his directing credits are Shadowlands, Terra Nova, The Woman in Black, Improbable Fiction (Dolphin Theatre), Shakers and Bouncers, (Theatre Works/ Titirangi Theatre),1984, (Theatre Works) and Serial Killers, (Titirangi Theatre). His last production for Dolphin won Best Comedy at the ACTT Awards at which Syd has won Best Director two years in a row.

Characters: (Note: ages quoted are playing ages)

• Nora Helmer: 30s. Torvald’s wife. Major role. Wide emotional range.
  Nora is a loving mother and wife who although vulnerable and naïve has unwittingly learned to use her feminine charms in both a womanly and child-like way. In an unforgiving society Nora struggles to balance her femininity with her latent feminism. Nora’s outward playfulness belies an unexpected inner strength.
  Accent – Neutral English.
  Download Nora’s audition pieces here


• Torvald Helmer: 30s. Nora’s husband. Major role. Wide emotional range.
Torvald is a businessman who regards himself as a pillar of society. His family and occupation are seen in terms of how they contribute to this public perception. He is very much a man of his times with Victorian values and a Victorian sense of what is proper and what is not. Outwardly Torvald is reserved but inwardly he has an inner passion and playfulness.
Accent – Neutral English.
Download Torvald’s audition pieces here


• Kristine Linde: 30s. Nora’s old school friend. Major role. Wide emotional range.
Mrs Linde is a woman who has had to make her own way in the world and has often had to make difficult pragmatic moral choices. She lives to serve others and has hitherto sacrificed her own needs for the sake of others’ needs. As the play develops she is presented with, and takes, the opportunity to do something for herself for the very first time.
Accent – Neutral English.
Download Kristine’s audition pieces here


• Dr Rank: 30s. Helmers’ family friend. Medium to large role. Wide emotional range.
  Dr Rank is in the latter stages of an incurable disease he inherited from a debauched father. He plays on his misfortune to garner sympathy from others. He is adept in most areas of society except, perhaps, in the society of women. Yet he does have feelings for one particular woman; he visits the Helmers’ daily as much for Nora as he does his old friend Torvald.
  Accent – Neutral English.
  Download Dr Rank’s audition pieces here
   
• Nils Krogstad: 30s. Torvald’s employee and a former lawyer. Large role. Wide emotional range. Krogstad is a man fighting for survival both socially and financially. A unwise choice made in his early career comes back to haunt him when he learns he is about to lose his job, income and respect to a woman he once loved. He is driven to desperate measures and must reluctantly resort to blackmail.
  Accent – Neutral English.
  Download Krogstad’s audition pieces here


• Annie Marie: Mid 50s to 60s. Nanny to the Helmers’ children. Small role.
  Anne Marie was also Nora’s nanny too and has served her family for many years. From a lower class background she counts herself very lucky to have been a surrogate mother to other people’s children when as a young woman herself she had had her own baby taken from her and adopted out because it was conceived and born out of wedlock.
  Accent – Neutral English, but can have a hint of working class.
  Download Anne-Marie’s audition pieces here


• Helene: Late teens to 20s. The Helmers’ maid. Small but important role.
  Helene is comfortable with her station in life and comfortable with the relationship she has with her employers despite the class divide. She is familiar with them, particularly Nora, but not rude.
  Accent – Neutral English, but can have a hint of working class.
  Download Helene’s audition pieces here
   

Please note: Accents are not indicative of geography.