South Hill Park is excited to share that our 2026 Summer Production will be The Secret Garden – an outdoor production coming to South Hill Park’s Italian Gardens in August 2026.
If you would like to be part of bringing this classic story to life then you are invited to book an audition slot & view the character information here.
Auditions will be organised by appointment on Sun 22 March 2025 and are likely to last no more than 15 minutes each. If necessary, recalls will be held on Tue 24 March 2026 from 7pm, where further scenes will be tried in pairs or groups.
Please make yourself familiar with the relevant material required, as per below titled ‘Audition Piece’. During the audition you will be asked to read this short side and work with the director to try various interpretations of the text.
This is a community production, performers featuring in this production take part for recreation and will not be paid or reimbursed for any expenses incurred by taking part in this production.
Auditon Information
Auditionees must be over 16yrs to join this team.
The characters may be included in ensemble work, and additional ensemble roles may be available. These can be found in the audition form above.
Please indicate on your audition form if you would like to be considered for an ensemble role if you are not offered a specific character role.
Please also indicate on your audition form if you have another performance/arts skill that could be considered as part of the production (i.e. playing a musical instrument, magic, circus skills etc.)
Audition Piece (perform the text portraying the character you are auditioning for)
I am the first person to come here in years and years. What a mysterious tangle of vines – climbing up walls, climbing over trees! Not a leaf or a bud in sight. It’s all quite dead. Dead and forgotten.
(Notices a robin) There you are! In your tree top! Are the roses still alive? Will you be surrounded by millions of glorious blossoms? Green! Tiny green shoots! The garden’s not dead. Roses maybe – but something’s still alive – alive and green and growing. I’ll come back, whenever I like. And no one will know, except Robin!
Story Synopsis
Mary Lennox, a sullen and spoiled young orphan, is sent to live with her brooding uncle at gloomy Misselthwaite Manor. Discovering a hidden, neglected garden, Mary plants the seeds of new life for all those drawn into her secret refuge. A wonderful story of transformation, the magic of nature and hope.
Production Information
This production will take place outdoors, in the Italian Gardens at South Hill Park. The set will incorporate the Italian Garden features, such as the maze and stone stairway, and the performers will move props/set pieces along as part of the delivery to depict various locations or the passing of time. This is a family production where we aim to include the audience in the experience.
Performances are weather dependent, based on health and safety standards, and will perform in the daytime (midday and 4pm performances).
Key Dates
AUDITIONS: SUNDAY 22nd March – 15-minute allocated audition slots will take place throughout the day.
RECALLS: Tuesday 24th March – 7pm – 10pm
REHEARSALS: Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from 7:30pm, starting Tuesday 21st April.
TECHNICAL REHEARSALS: Evenings w/c 17th August, this will be confirmed so please ensure availability for this week.
DRESS REHEARSALS: Evenings w/c 17th August, this will be confirmed so please ensure availability for this week.
PERFORMANCES: Midday and 4pm performances. These run between Friday 21st August – Sunday 23rd August (6 performances in total) and Thursday 27th August – Monday 31st August (10 performances in total)
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