We are now casting actors in our forthcoming production of Julius Caesar. 

Oddsocks is looking for cast members who will positively embrace the rigours of living and working

within a small hard working team who get involved with many aspects of preparing the production in rehearsal;

(set building, prop making and contributing to the creative ideas), then driving, taking part in get ins and get outs once on tour.

Touring in the open air in all weathers is not easy sometimes but very rewarding as our audiences are warm,

loyal and plentiful and life on the road in a company of actors you enjoy working with can a fantastic experience.

First round of auditions will take place online on 11th & 12th March and recalls will take place in Derbyshire on 15th March.

Please apply by sending your CV and photo and showreel if you have one.

Due to the unique nature of our style of touring, we give preference to personal submissions and those who provide a

covering email which tells us about you as a person and why you are interested in the job we are offering.

Preference is given to actors who live in Derbyshire and who drive.

Rehearsing Monday 20th May until Thursday 6th June Touring from Thursday 7th June until Monday 12th August

Wage: £500 per week. Holiday pay, pension contribution, a combination of meals and meal allowance.

Single room accomodation the majority of the time in good hotels and B&B and some self catering for longer stays.

Assistance with rehearsal accommodation offered and all accommodation and travel on tour provided and paid for by Oddsocks.

Please email your CV and photo with a covering letter to casting@oddsocks.co.uk

 

A word from our actors who have worked with Oddsocks

Oddsocks strives to be a fair, honest and approachable employer. 

We take our legal obligations to those whom we employ seriously and strive to keep abreast of changes

and updates in employer responsibilities.  In return we expect our contracted artists to work efficiently and

take responsibility for their role within the project and organisation.  We are a family run business

and the director and creative producer tour with each production as actors.  We want to enjoy life on the road

and we want our casts to enjoy it with us. 

Here are some words from many actors who have worked with us over the last 35 years to the present day:

I write to strongly recommend Oddsocks Productions as a professional, considerate, supportive and highly ethical employer.

Having worked on two touring productions with this company I can attest to the great care they afford their actors.

They pay comfortably above equity minimum, plus generous subsistence, they were highly respectful of break times and

off days and look after their actors with the utmost professionalism and humanity. 

A huge amount of the usually time consuming administration that touring brings, and which usually falls to the actor, is taken care of by the organisation themselves.

They give in-depth thought to how to best support their actors during a tour schedule and are proactive in high levels of care.

I have no hesitation recommending them highly in the industry.

Louisa Clark (Toured with Oddsocks between 2014 and 2015)

I can honestly say that I have never worked for a company who cares for their employees as much as they do.

When you join Oddsocks, you literally become part of their family.

Touring theatre by nature is tough but they make sure that the accommodation is of a high standard

and that days off are scheduled into the tour.  When I worked for them, the pay was very

competitive and higher than most touring companies. I felt looked after and valued and the quality of

the productions was second to none. The friendships that I made from my time with Oddsocks are

lifelong and I look back on my time with them very fondly. Oddsocks are a good, family company, who work hard

and take theatre to those that may not get to see a live production.

They have worked tirelessly working with their community and to me,

they are the best in the business at what they do. 

Harriet Kershaw (Toured with Oddsocks between 2004 and 2006)

I have worked with Elli and Andy at Oddsocks on 5 projects, including 2 summer tours. They have always put the actors first and endeavour to make the experience as enjoyable as possible, catering to the individual needs of the actors. Since they tour with the actors, and have done for 30 years, they understand the demands of outdoor touring. Get ins and get outs are approached with safety and efficiency, with appropriate tea breaks. Travel and accomodation is all paid for, and I've always found it comfortable. I'd thoroughly recommend working for Oddsocks, and I hope to be able to work with them for years to come.  Jack Herauville (Toured with Oddsocks 2021 - 2024)

I am and have been a professional actress for over 40 years working across all disciplines from TV ,Rep,Touring theatre ,both in and outdoors and Educational Theatre. I have worked for Oddsocks for the last five years primarily on their site specific projects at Chatsworth House. I continue to work for them because it is quite simply a delight both professionally and personally. Oddsocks always strive to pay well and adhere to Equity guidelines but it isn't just that. There is, I believe something called ‘added value’. Something that not all companies regardless of pay achieve.  Oddsocks treat their actors with respect , probably because they themselves are actors and know what it is to be away from home for long periods of time.They listen and go to great lengths to accommodate their actors needs even if not in the contract understanding family commitments etc. As a professional actor I would have no concerns about recommending colleagues to work with them in any capacity. Sheila Croft (Worked with Oddsocks between 2001 and 2024)

I would like to express my gratitude for the incredible theatre company ‘Oddsocks Productions’. I was first employed by Oddsocks for a summer tour of Comedy Of Errors in 2007 and had an incredible time. So incredible in fact, that I have subsequently toured with Oddsocks a further twelve times! I have nothing but praise for Andy Barrow and Elli Mackenzie-Barrow in all of their dealings both professionally and personally. I love the style of work, the format of the shows, the freedom to play, develop characters and entertain audiences, sometimes three generations of the same family! I have always found Oddsocks to be open, generous and completely transparent in their business affairs, always paying promptly and above the Equity minimum. In a nutshell, Elli and Andy run one of the most ethical and engaging theatre companies it has ever been my pleasure to be involved with and I look forward to a time when I can return to an Oddsocks stage again!  Andrew McGillan (Toured with Oddsocks between 2007 and 2015)

I have had the pleasure of working for the Oddsocks Theatre Company for four consecutive summer tours and other productions.  Oddsocks have always been a fair employer with their working practices, which include paying above the Equity pay rate and holiday pay, which are some practices not always met by all outdoor touring companies. I also know they have been instrumental in trying to implement better practices for outdoor touring. Andy and Elli have worked tirelessly for more than 30 years to put Oddsocks on the touring map, creating a huge fan base in the UK and Channel Islands. My working experience with their company has always been a hugely satisfying and nurturing one.  The Oddsocks Theatre Company is generous, caring and professional.  Rebecca Little (Toured with Oddsocks between 2014 and 2023)

Oddsocks are an exemplary employer who place the wellbeing of their actors at the forefront of their practice. They pay above Equity rate for work of this kind as well as paying Holiday pay on top of that. Outdoor touring is hard work and an Oddsocks production is no exception; however, where some in this sector of the industry have let standards slip over the years and disregard actors wellbeing, Oddsocks continue to ensure they are working to the highest standards and go above and beyond to ensure working with them is the pleasurable experience that it is.  Theo Toksvig-Stewart (Toured with Oddsocks 2022/3)

I spent two summers on the road with Oddsocks and can say from experience that they care for their actors beyond any other touring company I’ve worked with. I’ve done a lot of touring, from small scale rural tours around village halls, to summers spent with other outdoor touring companies like Oddsocks, to large UK and international tours to major venues. The reality is it’s the attitude of those who book and produce tours that filters down and most affects the actor’s working experience. Oddsocks have always been an exemplary employer in this respect and although their tours are hard work, they are also incredibly rewarding and actors are consistently treated with respect. I would always recommend any interested actor go ahead and work with them. Anna Westlake (Toured with Oddsocks between 2013 and 2016)

Elli and Andy are wonderful company managers. I really appreciated the single room accommodation on tour and the dedication to actors having quiet time to recuperate alone if needed. I felt the company invested in its members really well in this way. Although our rehearsal period was intense, there was equality among company members and the expectations of actors were reflected in our pay, which is well above Equity minimum and better than most off-west end theatres in London. Ella Blackburn (Toured with Oddsocks 2023)

I worked with Oddsocks over 2 years back in the 1990s, and it was a pleasure to do so. Andy and Elli are among the finest employers I have worked with and for in my career.  I have worked for several larger Commercial Theatre producers under Equity contracts who could learn a lot from Oddsocks in terms of how to treat their employees. I was always paid on time, and in full, and there was always an understanding from Oddsocks that the hours were long and the skills required were many and various, and they paid rates that were reflective of that.  Daniel Tuite (Toured with Oddsocks 1997-1998)

My name’s Miranda and I’m an actor, currently performing in Dear England in the West End after a successful run at The National Theatre this Summer. I have toured with Oddsocks twice and also worked for them in corporate theatre and film projects. Working for Elli and Andy has always been an absolute joy. I have always felt completely respected and nurtured and have definitely grown as a person and as a creative by working for and with them. Touring is a demanding and extremely hard job but with a company like Oddsocks, makes it so very enjoyable and rewarding. I’ve only ever felt safe, supported and encouraged working for them. Miranda Heath (Toured with Oddsocks between 2013 and 2018)

My name is Nicholas Goode. I am an actor and musician.  In twenty years of being a performer, I have worked with ODDSOCKS company three times. I have always been happy in their treatment of me both as an employee and as a person. Whilst the contracts were not Equity, I was paid above the minimum. The company were clear in what was required for the job and never wavered from that.  They were caring and sought to make sure that the company were comfortable and happy. I would always work with them again. nicholas goode

As an actor who has worked for Oddsocks Productions on three different shows over a ten year period I have always found their practices, payment schedule and treatment of the casts to be exemplary. Further than that, I’ve always found the work environment to be one the most friendly, supportive and fun that I’ve worked in. I would recommend any touring theatre actor to work with Oddsocks.  Paul O'Neill (Toured with Oddsocks between 2002 and 2023)