Auditions

Tuesday 10th March
7:30pm
The Wesley Centre
34A Christchurch Rd, Ringwood BH24 1DN

Audition Text

During a corporate team-building exercise in the Lake District, four middle-aged colleagues - Sheila, Denise, Fay and Julie - attempt to row to a small island. Poor navigation, thick fog and mounting tension result in a chaotic landing, leaving them stranded and disorientated.

What begins as workplace bonding quickly unravels into blame, sarcasm and shifting power dynamics. As they scramble to account for one another and salvage what little they have - including a precariously rescued mobile phone - cracks in their professional personas begin to show.

The play blends sharp comedy with rising tension, exploring leadership, survival and the fragile veneer of corporate authority when stripped of comfort and control.

Audition Application

Please complete and bring a copy of the audition form to the audition.

Rehearsals

Tuesdays and Thursdays from 17th March 7:30 to 10:00pm with three Sunday’s to be communicated once arranged.

Performances

Wednesday 27th to Saturday 30th May
1st Poulner Scout Hall

Please bring a copy to the audition

Characters

The characters in this play are from the Manchester area, so Northern accents are preferred.

SHEILA

The Organiser. The Leader. The Woman in Charge.

Sheila is the driving force behind the team-building weekend. Efficient, ambitious and deeply invested in appearing capable, she prides herself on structure, control and forward planning. A senior manager in the cosmetics company, she is determined that this exercise will prove her leadership credentials.

However, once stranded on the island, Sheila’s carefully constructed authority begins to fracture. Beneath her corporate polish lies a woman terrified of losing control. She measures success in outcomes and targets, but survival demands instinct rather than management strategy.

As hunger, exhaustion and rivalry set in, Sheila’s leadership style becomes increasingly autocratic. She believes she is the most qualified to lead - and will cling to that belief even as the others begin to question her competence.

Playing Age: 40s–50s
Key Traits: Authoritative, status-conscious, controlling, brittle under pressure
Journey: From composed corporate leader to increasingly desperate authoritarian

DENISE

The Cynic. The Outsider. The Unexpected Survivor.

Denise works in HR and is used to managing other people’s emotions while concealing her own. Sharp-tongued and perceptive, she has little patience for corporate jargon and sees through Sheila’s motivational rhetoric from the outset.

Initially reluctant and sceptical about the weekend, Denise quickly proves more practical than she first appears. Her humour is dry and often cutting, but it masks resilience and intelligence. She has spent years observing power structures - and understands them better than most.

On the island, Denise’s pragmatism becomes an asset. While others posture, she adapts. Though not immediately seeking leadership, she becomes a stabilising presence, challenging Sheila’s authority and offering a more grounded approach to survival.

Playing Age: 40s–50s
Key Traits: Wry, analytical, emotionally guarded, quietly capable
Journey: From disengaged participant to morally grounded challenger

FAY

The Peacemaker. The Empath. The One Who Just Wants Everyone to Get Along.

Fay is warm, accommodating and conflict-averse. She dislikes confrontation and often attempts to smooth tensions before they escalate. Loyal and optimistic, she genuinely believes in the value of teamwork.

Out of her comfort zone in the wilderness, Fay initially struggles with the physical demands of survival. Yet emotional intelligence is her strength. She understands the group dynamic instinctively and often acts as mediator.

As conditions worsen, Fay finds herself torn between loyalty to Sheila and growing awareness that leadership may need to shift. Her journey is one of finding quiet strength - discovering that kindness does not mean weakness.

Playing Age: 40s–50s
Key Traits: Gentle, diplomatic, anxious under pressure, emotionally intuitive
Journey: From compliant supporter to quietly assertive presence

JULIE

The Competitor. The Physical Powerhouse. The Dark Horse.

Julie is the youngest of the group and physically the most capable. Direct, plain-speaking and unpolished compared to the others, she has little interest in corporate politics. She values action over discussion.

Confident in her physical abilities, Julie adapts quickly to the island environment. She hunts, climbs, explores and demonstrates practical survival skills the others lack. This naturally shifts the balance of power.

However, Julie’s bluntness can alienate. She is less skilled at navigating emotional nuance and may underestimate the complexity of group dynamics. As the struggle intensifies, she emerges as a formidable presence - challenging assumptions about hierarchy and competence.

Playing Age: 30s–40s
Key Traits: Practical, forthright, physically confident, impatient with inefficiency
Journey: From underestimated subordinate to dominant survivor

Ensemble Dynamic

At its core, Sheila’s Island is a study of power, class, leadership and survival. Stripped of corporate titles and office hierarchy, the four women are forced to renegotiate status based on instinct, resilience and adaptability.

The play balances sharp comedy with psychological tension. Alliances shift, authority is contested, and the veneer of professional civility gradually erodes, revealing the primal instincts beneath.