Terms and conditions

BACKGROUND TO THE NEW RULES

If you’ve been involved in FBP productions before, these are simply the same practices and level of commitment that you’ve always had – nothing will change in practice! However, due to an increasing number of issues with newcomers in particular, we’ve had to formalise the terms and conditions for participating in our activities.

Most unsubsidised groups charge upfront participation fees that can reach up to 500€. Even though the FBP does not receive any funding, we want to keep our activities as accessible as possible, and charge only a modest annual membership fee. This means that each production must be entirely funded by its ticket sales, and participants ‘pay’ for the activity by completing the production in a way that ensures its success.

As our activities are free, they occasionally attract uncommitted people who treat our productions as something that can be dropped without consequence. We have therefore been forced to introduce a penalty fee for any participant who materially breaks the terms and conditions of participation in a way that endangers the financial and artistic success of our shows, and thereby the group’s continued operation. Our hope is that we never have to charge these fees, as their goal is to ensure a smoother and more successful production experience for everyone involved.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION IN FINN-BRIT PLAYERS’ PRODUCTIONS

AUDITIONS/APPLICATIONS FOR ACTORS AND BACKSTAGE ROLES

  • anyone may attend open auditions or apply for a backstage role without obligation and without being a paid-up member
  • you must fill out the official audition/application form in advance

CASTING/APPLICATION PROCESS FOR ACTORS AND BACKSTAGE ROLES

You must complete the full casting/application process before you begin the production. If you do not, the role will be offered to someone else.

  • fill out the official audition/application form
  • provide accurate information about your availability
  • acknowledge that this is an amateur/community theatre hobby activity, and you will not receive any payment or personal expenses for your participation
  • read and accept the terms and conditions of participation in writing
  • accept/reject the offered role
  • pay the membership fee by the given deadline

AFTER CASTING

  • maintain the availability stated in your audition/application form
  • check schedules when they are sent, and immediately mention any issues
  • attend all rehearsals that you are called for on the basis of your stated availability
  • attend all performances
  • be punctual
  • communicate any absences due to illness or emergencies without delay
  • communicate any other actual or potential issues without delay
  • learn your lines and movements by the given deadline
  • perform any other duties associated with your role by the given deadline
  • actively participate in marketing
  • actively cooperate in rescheduling rehearsals or performances (if necessary)
  • read, listen to and follow any instructions and the theatre rules
  • refrain from any behaviour or actions that would endanger the production or the FBP

ILLNESS AND EMERGENCIES

Rehearsals – Missing a couple of ordinary rehearsals due to illness or an emergency won’t be a problem as long as you promptly let the production team know and make the effort to catch up or, if necessary, reschedule.

Performances – Cancelling a performance is the absolute last resort. There are no understudies, so you will generally be expected to perform when ill. If you are genuinely too ill or otherwise unable to perform*, or it would be unwise, you must actively work to reschedule the cancelled performance.

Dropping out – Dropping out due to longer-term illness* or major changes in circumstances* will be handled on a case-by-case basis.

* Please note that a medical certificate or other document may be requested as proof, depending on the nature of the issue.

WARNINGS

In most cases, you will first be given a warning and a chance to rectify the issue. Please note that the penalty fee may be charged without a warning in the event of a serious breach that cannot be rectified.

REMOVAL FROM THE PRODUCTION

Your role may be recast if you act in a way that makes your continued participation a liability to the production’s success. For example, if your reliability is in serious question.

SOME EXAMPLES FOR CLARIFICATION

Some examples of when the penalty fee will not be charged

  • Any actual/potential unavailability that was clearly stated in your audition form.
  • A force majeure event occurs, but you inform the production team immediately and cooperate to limit any damage.

Some examples of when the penalty fee will be charged unless the issue is quickly rectified

  • Your audition form states that you are generally available for rehearsal on Sundays, but when the rehearsal schedule is sent, you say can’t attend most of the Sunday rehearsals.
  • You are repeatedly very late or absent without prior notification, so that considerable rehearsal time is wasted.
  • You repeatedly miss rehearsals because you find something better to do.
  • The production falls behind schedule because you don’t learn your lines or are habitually absent.
  • You schedule something else on the day of a performance and say you can’t come after all.

Some examples of when the penalty fee will definitely be charged

  • You are absent from a performance without prior notification and/or for a trivial and avoidable reason.
  • You drop out because you change your mind or decide you are too busy after all.
  • You conceal potential or actual issues with availability, including force majeure events, so there is no chance to make contingency plans.
  • You don’t learn your lines to the extent that performances have to be cancelled or postponed.

COST OF PARTICIPATION

If a participant complies with the terms and conditions, they can participate in FBP productions for the cost of the annual membership fee (2026: 50€/25€).

If a participant materially breaks the terms and conditions, they must pay an additional penalty fee (2026: 400€) towards covering the cost of their participation and/or finding a replacement and/or any financial losses caused. This fee will be payable even if the participant leaves or is subsequently removed from the production.

DECISION ON PENALTY FEES

The Finn-Brit Players Committee will decide whether to charge the penalty fee on the basis of the evidence presented by the production team and participant. Each case will be judged individually on the basis of the exact circumstances, the timing and consequences of the issue, the participant’s history with the FBP, and how the participant handled the issue in terms of communication and cooperation, etc. Force majeure (unavoidable or unforeseeable circumstances) will naturally be taken into account.