CAST OF CHARACTERS

Ages in brackets are the minimum playing ages.

There are five male and three female parts. Ages in brackets are the playing ages with two actors (those cast as Carr and Cecily) being able to play young and old.

The characters, in order of speaking are:

Tristan Tzara (20s/30s)
Cecily (20s and old age)
James Joyce (36)
Gwendolen, Carr’s younger sister (20s)
Nadya, Lenin’s wife (48)
Lenin (47)
Henry Carr (20s/30s and old age)
Bennett, Carr’s manservant (40s–60s)

The actors playing Lenin and Nadya should be capable of delivering their lines in an adequate Russian accent. Ideally the actor playing Joyce should be capable of a light Irish accent throughout, but that's not essential (except for a brief passage in which the character's accent is deliberately exaggerated) . It is not strictly necessary for Tzara to speak in an east European accent (except for a brief passage in which the character's accent is deliberately exaggerated), but ability to do so may be an asset.

Cecily and Gwendolen perform a song and dance routine to the tune of the vaudeville number 'Mr Gallagher and Mr Shean' (various versions are on YouTube), so an adequate singing voice will be required in each case. You don't need to be a diva, just be capable of singing in time and in tune.