Review: An Ode to the Casting Director, Assembly George Square

A chaise longue is positioned in the centre of the stage, framed by a row of bright, exposed bulbs reminiscent of an old Hollywood dressing-room mirror. To the right, a screen shows a close-up of Sophie Fisher as she begins her audition for the role of “cool beach girl” for River Island.

Throughout the next hour in An Ode to the Casting Director, Fisher takes the audience through a vast array of experiences as an actor, from getting her toes sucked against her will in an acting class to letting out the loudest, hoarse Viking battle cry, and everything in between. 

Fisher makes good use of the space at Studio Four at Assembly George Square Studios, and is inventive with props; a strap to represent a bus handle, for example, is put to good use. The screen is very effective, and in one scene is cleverly divided in half by black fabric to create the impression of a car’s rear-view mirror. 

Voiceovers of bitchy agents and monotone reading partners give the performance an additional layer of comical dimension. In her waitressing job, dealing with demanding customers who request their coffees brought out in 10 minute intervals is a frustratingly regular occurrence. 

Fisher has excellent comedic timing, particularly when portraying auditions alongside awkward, nervous partners, yet is at her best when playing the more sombre and tender moments. One instance of this is her fraught relationship with her parents, whose approval she desperately craves. Another is when her horrible boyfriend dumps her with one day of a modelling job still to go, just because he wants to be single for a lads holiday. These painful moments showcase Fisher’s talent spectacularly. 

But it’s the ‘almosts’, the’ maybes’, that sustain her. Just one more audition, a bit more money on headshots: it’s the thought that the next opportunity might finally be her big break that keeps her going. I’m sure this is a universal feeling for actors. 

With an ending that is perhaps overly optimistic, but nevertheless cheerful, this witty and funny play tells the absurd trials and tribulations of an actor trying to make it in the industry. Casting directors, take note.

Written and performed by Sophie Fisher

An Ode to the Casting Director plays at Studio Four at Assembly George Square Studios until Saturday 29 August.