The Revlon Girl

Tue 17 Jun 2025 @ 19:15 - 22:00.

The Revlon Girl is an ensemble piece: all the characters have equal weight and importance for the story.

Set eight months following the Aberfan Disaster of 1966 (in which 144 people were killed: 116 of them children) The Revlon Girl tells the real life story of a group of bereaved mothers who met every week above a local hotel to talk, cry and even laugh without feeling guilty.

At one of their meetings, the women looked at each other and admitted how much they felt they’d let themselves go. So, afraid that people would think them frivolous, they secretly arranged for a representative from Revlon to come and give them a talk on beauty tips

During the preparations for the beauty demonstration, four bereaved mothers tell the Revlon girl their stories, and she eventually reciprocates with her own story of loss.

Advisory note to actors:

This play deals with unimaginable loss and everything in the play is true. The women’s stories are heart-breaking and rehearsals will be emotional experiences if we are doing it right. It is also funny.

References:

There is a great deal of information online about Aberfan, but I recommend if nothing else that you watch this account before the audition: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZR4Vr78clqs The title is The Aberfan Disaster 1966

The roles: Unless you have a reason for only wanting to play a particular character, please come open to auditioning for any of roles. A Welsh accent is required for the four bereaved mothers. Revlon comes from Bristol so can either have a Bristol accent or RP.

Rona, Jean and Marilyn are the same age and were at school together. They are all around 30. Rona is fiery, foul-mouthed and indomitable. She finds strength in rage, rejects authority and is easily set alight. Audition piece: p58. Don’t you think I know that? - p59 stand on my front doorstep looking up at the tips.

Jean is stately, conservative and sociable. Though she hails from the same background as the others, Jean is now the wife of a respected church minister and regards herself as a pillar of the community. She is eight months pregnant. Audition piece: p53 Am I having this child to replace Kevin? - p54 Certainly not a boy like him.

Marilyn is introverted, tense and fearful of change. Though outwardly simple, she is very focused. Audition piece: p31 Because I wasn’t right that day - What are you supposed to say to that?

Sian* is younger, mid- to late twenties. Bright, hopeful and eager to help, Sian is very much the instigator (and defender) of the evening’s event and is desperate for it to go well. Audition piece:
p50 First he got out the kids who were trapped. - Nobody does.

Revlon is the youngest, early twenties. Smart, well-groomed, well-bred, trusting and clearly does not come from a Welsh working-class mining village. Needs to be comfortable applying make-up to the others. Audition piece: p62 What I remember after that was how quiet the house became. - Whether she was loving me or hating me.

• Please note that these characters will have make-up applied by Revlon during the show so you must be comfortable with having this done.

Everyone: Audition piece: P 32 - 35 Going well isn’t it - Now who’s going to kick it over?