Home for the holidays! Hell...
We are now casting our upcoming season of Many Happy Returns by Bernard Farrell and directed by Matthew Cousins.
It’s Christmas Eve in rural Ireland, and Irene is determined to make everything perfect. Her father is impossible, her husband is passive, and the dinner is already threatening to burn. But the anticipated return of a wealthy long-lost friend from New Zealand might be the gift that changes everything. If only everyone can just hold it together as the wrapping paper peels away to reveal secrets, disappointments, and the kind of family tension only a holiday can produce.
Rehearsal schedule: Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7.00pm, and Sundays at 2.00pm.
Season: 8 - 29 November 2025
To learn more or book and audition time, please visit hlt.nz/auditions
Roles:
(Note: Irish accents are required for all roles, except Amanda. Accent coaching can be provided during rehearsals.)
Matty (Male, 60s - 70s)
A retired farmer who’s stubborn, set in his ways, and deeply amused by the chaos he causes. He’s sharp-tongued, irreverent, and quietly enjoys pushing everyone’s buttons, especially his daughter’s. He has no patience for sentimentality and sees through people with a disarming bluntness.
Irene (Female, late 30s - 40s)
The organiser of the evening. Irene wants everything to go to plan and to impress their visiting guests. Underneath her polished surface is a simmering panic about her husband, her marriage, and about the future. She’s emotionally brittle and frequently bossy, especially toward her father, whom she loves but can’t manage.
Arthur (Male, late 30s - 40s)
Irene’s husband. Jaded and sarcastic, Arthur is coasting through life, disconnected from his wife and unsure of his own direction. He uses dry humour to mask his discomfort, and while he mostly keeps quiet, when he does speak it’s usually to say something piercing or brutally honest.
Declan (Male, early 30s - 40s)
Arthur’s old school friend, now returned from New Zealand with stories of business success and self-made wealth. Charming, confident, and eager to impress, Declan presents himself as the ideal guest. However, it doesn’t take long for the cracks to appear and beneath the bravado is a man full of insecurity, and a desperate need to be admired.
Amanda (Female, 20s - early 30s)
Declan’s Kiwi wife. At first glance, Amanda is bubbly and slightly out of her depth, but as the evening unfolds, it becomes clear that she’s smarter and more perceptive than people assume. She tries hard to play the part of the perfect wife and guest but slowly reveals her disillusionment and uncertainty.
Gladys (Female, 60s plus)
Matty’s wife and the family’s quiet moral compass. Gladys is a woman of strength, warmth, and resilience. She knows how to pick her battles and usually lets Matty’s antics wash over her, but isn’t afraid to call out his nonsense when it matters. She’s more worldly than she lets on and holds the family together with a gentle pragmatism and wit.
About Howick Little Theatre:
Howick Little Theatre is a community theatre that has been entertaining Auckland theatregoers since 1954 and is a staple fixture of the Tāmaki Makaurau arts and theatre scene. As a charitable trust, all theatre profits are reinvested into running the theatre and supporting future productions, workshops, classes and programmes.
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