Reading and auditions for YAT's 100th Production, the Royal Hunt of the Sun by Peter Shaffer, will be held from Monday 28 January at Collis School, Teddington.

The play begins in Spain, where [Francisco] Pizarro recruits 167 men for an expedition to Peru. He is accompanied by his second-in-command Hernando de Soto, and Vicente de Valverde, a Catholic priest determined to spread the shining light of Christianity. It is narrated or commented upon by Old Martin, a jaded man in his mid-fifties. Young Martin - another character in the play - is his younger counterpart, integrated with the time-frame in which the expedition commences. At the beginning of the voyage he is obsessed with chivalry, glory and honour, but becomes increasingly disillusioned throughout, as Pizarro's crisis of faith also unravels.

The expedition is predominantly in the name of gold, religion and belief; all Incas being heathens who must be brought before God. The play critically studies these two themes throughout the discovery of Atahualpa - the Inca Sun God - and massacre of the Incas themselves.

Rehearsals will be held at Collis School on every Thursday and Monday from 7.30pm - 10.00pm thereafter. You need to ensure is that you are aged between 16 and 25 and able to attend rehearsals ON TIME and VERY frequently!

There will be six performances from Monday 28 April to Saturday 3 May at the Hampton Hill Playhouse. The final night will be a Gala presentation to an invited audience.

If you don't meet the above criteria but you know someone who does, please pass this link on to them.