by Winsome Pinnock. Directed by Landé Belo
Performance dates and venue :
Evenings at 7.30pm: Wednesday 18 – Saturday 21 June and Tuesday 24 – Saturday 28 June
Matinées at 3pm: Saturdays 21 and 28 June.
To be performed at the Tower Theatre, Stoke Newington
About the play:
They used to have the slave codes and now they have equality guidelines
Rockets and Blue Lights connects two eras through the lens of JMW Turner’s evocative painting ‘The Slave Ship’. In 2006, we follow Lou, an actor whose current role forces her to confront the brutal history of slavery and in parallel, we delve into the story of Thomas, a black sailor navigating his newfound freedom in the 19th century. The play explores the power of storytelling, the ownership of history, and the lasting scars of this dark chapter in history.
Casting Breakdowns
Playing ages given below are for guidance and are flexible. If you wish to audition for a role but feel you are not the right playing age, please either audition in any event or contact the Director prior to the audition.
There are 24 parts to be played by 11 actors: five female and six male. There are also ensemble parts to be played by the company. The characters weave together contemporary and historical narratives, exploring themes of identity, freedom, and artistic representation. There are three parts that require singing solos: Trevor/Thomas; Reuben/Caesar and Jess/Jeannie. There will also be singing and dancing required as part of an ensemble. Please note that we have an Intimacy Coach and a Fight Director to assist with the scenes that involve intimacy and violence.
CHARACTER BREAKDOWN:
LOU/OLU: Female, black, 20-30s [UK accent]
2006/2007: Lou Clarke is an actor, cast in the part of ‘Olu’ in ‘The Ghost Ship’ (a film which is inspired by JMW Turner’s painting ‘The Slave Ship’). Lou is famous for her lead role in sci fi TV series, ‘Space Colony Mars’. She is mainly based in the US but has returned to the UK to film ‘The Ghost Ship’. Lou struggles with the way the character ‘Olu’ has been written. Her journey is about finding her voice and standing up for herself in an industry that often marginalises people who look like her.
ESSIE/LUCY: Female, black, 30s [UK accent *]
2007: Essie is an art teacher. We meet her on a school trip to a museum in the present day (2007), where she encounters Lou and discusses the historical context of Turner’s work and the importance of representation in art with her. Her character provides a supportive and educational perspective for both Lou and Billie (one of her pupils).
1840: Lucy, married to Thomas and the mother of Jess, is also trying to come to terms with her past. She is deeply concerned about Thomas’s decision to go to sea, fearing that he might be putting himself in danger again. *She has a couple of lines where she lapses into Yoruba, therefore the ability to speak with a convincing Yoruba accent is desirable but not critical as we do have a dialogue coach to assist with accents.
TREVOR/THOMAS: Male, black, 30-40s [UK accent]
2006: Trevor King is the director of the film, ‘The Ghost Ship’, starring Lou Clarke. Trevor is caught between the demands of the film’s producers and Lou’s concerns about her character being diminished. He represents the challenges of navigating artistic integrity and commercial pressures.
1840: Thomas is a sailor, is haunted by his memories of slavery. He is married to Essie and is the father of Jess. He is trying to find a new life for himself and his family but is constantly reminded of his past. Thomas’s story is one of resilience and the ongoing struggle for freedom and dignity. This part requires singing a shanty song acapella.
REUBEN/CAESAR: Male, black, 30s [US accent and UK accent]
2006/2007: Reuben is an African-American marine archaeologist. He is supportive of Lou and frustrated by the limitations of the film industry to allow the true narrative to be told. His character adds depth to the dynamics of the film set. [US accent]
1840: Caesar is a shantyman. This part requires singing a shanty song acapella. [UK accent].
PEARSON/CLARKE/BENJAMIN: Male, black, 40-80s
2006: Pearson: An actor playing the part of ‘Pearson’ in ‘The Ghost Ship’. [UK accent]
2007: Clarke is Lou and Vonnie’s grandfather and is of the Windrush Generation. He embodies the struggles and complexities of black identity and history. [Caribbean accent]
1840: Benjamin is a beggar and referred to as Thomas’s brother. [UK accent]
ROY/J.M.W TURNER/PETER PIPER: Male, white, 40-60s [UK accent]
2006/2007: Roy is an actor playing the artist ‘JMW Turner’ in the film, ‘The Ghost Ship’. As filming progresses, the story of Turner becomes the centre of the story, eroding the story of ‘Olu’, much to the frustration and dismay of Lou. Roy’s character highlights the issues of representation and visibility in the film industry.
1840: Turner – the painter at age 65. This character is central to the historical storyline. Turner is depicted as a complex and somewhat controversial figure: he is an abolitionist who previously owned a slave-run sugar works. His presence in the play serves as a critique of the white saviour narrative and the way historical figures are often romanticised, while the true impact of their actions on black people is overlooked.
1840: Peter Piper is a beggar who tries to emulate Benjamin’s style.
JOHNSON/DECKER/RUSKIN: Male, white, 20-30s [UK accent]
2006/2007: Johnson: An actor who plays ‘Johnson’ in ‘The Ghost Ship’.
1840: Decker: Recruiting Officer for the ship, ‘The Glory’ (former slave ship).
1840: Ruskin is known as one of the greatest art writers in the English language and a strong advocate of Turner’s landscape paintings. We meet him in the play very early on in his career.
DANBY/MARY: Female, white, 40-60s [UK accent. We will consider actors of all ethnicities for this part]
1840: Danby: Turner’s housekeeper. Turner uses her face to mix his paints. There is a suggestion that she is in fact the real artist, as we see her touching up some of Turner’s paintings.
1840: Mary: the ghost of Turner’s late mother. This character adds a haunting and ethereal element to the narrative.
MEG/VONNIE: Female, black, 40-70s
1840: Meg was a runaway enslaved person. She represents the spiritual voice of history in the present, often reflecting on the pain and resilience of those who have suffered. [Nigerian or another West African accent]
2007: Vonnie is Lou’s sister. She is very proud of everything that Lou has achieved and feels unaccomplished in comparison to her sister. [UK accent]
BILLIE: Male, black, 15-20s [NB looking to cast a young adult in this part – 20s]. [UK accent]
2007: Billie: schoolboy, artist. Aged 15
1840: Billie: novice sailor. Aged 15
Billie is a young black youth who exists in both the present day and the 1840s. Billie’s character is a bridge between the past and the present, showing how the legacy of slavery continues to affect young black people today. His story is one of hope and the search for identity.
JEANIE/JESS: Female, black, 20s [UK accent]
2007: Jeanie is the PA on ‘The Ghost Ship’ and is in her 20s.
1840: Jess is the 14/15-year-old daughter of Lucy and Thomas, both emancipated from slavery. Jess’s character represents the younger generation’s struggle to overcome the traumatic legacy of slavery. She is trying to find her place in a world that still bears the scars of the past. This part requires singing shanty songs acapella.
ENSEMBLE: Sailors, overseer, museum visitors, partygoers, Coffle walkers…
Auditions
The script to be used is the Nick Hern edition. You must read the script before auditioning! A reading copy will be made available at the Tower office. Please do not remove it from the theatre to allow others the opportunity to read it. If cast, you will be required to purchase your own copy. Please speak to the Director if you have any concerns or difficulties procuring the script. Copies are available to purchase from [email protected] for £8 once cast.
Auditions will take place at the Tower Theatre, Stoke Newington on Tuesday 4 February, Thursday 6 February and Friday 7 February from 6pm to 10pm.
Please note that the Friday 7 February audition is now full. There are currently a few remaining slots for Tuesday 4 and Thursday 6 February, but please book quickly to avoid disappointment.
Recalls on Sunday 9 February from 12noon to 4pm.
If you are interested in auditioning, please contact the Director to confirm which date you would like to attend and to request audition pieces.
Important note on auditions
Auditions are open to all, though please note that you will be required to join the Tower Theatre as a fully paid-up member if cast in this production. Click here for more details on becoming a member.
Rehearsals
Rehearsals will take place at the Tower Theatre, Stoke Newington on weekday evenings (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays) and weekends (Saturdays and the occasional Sundays) from w/c 3 March to the run of the play.
All cast members are required to assist with the get-in and set build and to attend tech rehearsals all day on Sunday 15 June and Monday 16 June and the dress rehearsal from 6.30-10pm on Tuesday 17 June.
Please come prepared at auditions to give the Director any dates during the rehearsal period that you are unavailable. Please make it clear if you wish to audition for certain roles only and are not prepared to accept another part.
About the Director:

Landé Belo has been involved in theatre for the last two decades as an actor, director, producer, sound designer, stage manager, light and sound operator, costume designer and artistic director. Her directing credits include Fix Up (2019), I can’t breathe: Being Black in a Time of Covid (2021), Mules (2021), Leave Taking (2022), The Gift (2023), Princess & The Hustler (2024) and Associate Director on The Color Purple (2024) with SEDOS.. As part of her initiative to promote black, female voices in theatre, she produced In Hiding (2023) and devised and produced Ain’t I A Woman? (2024) and won an award for Best Producer at the Black British Theatre Awards 2024. She was also nominated for Best Director and the production was nominated for Best Production at the Black British Theatre Awards 2024.