Information from External Sources

To help us gather a scope on what we need to do for our auditions, Olga gave us many sources of information from different drama schools and external professional actors.
The information below is not my own, all typed up work from either Birmingham School of Acting, RADA, Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and Guildhall School of Music and Drama.

Birmingham School of Acting

Auditions

1. What sort of pieces should I choose for my audition?
2. Can I cut a monologue together from a scene, omitting other character's lines?
3. Could I choose a piece from a monologue anthology book?
4. Can I perform a poem as part of my audition?
5. Are there some timeworn pieces that one should avoid?
6. Can I choose a piece from a television or film script?
7. How long do my audition pieces need to be?
8. Can I perform a piece with an accent at my audition?
9. Will furniture be available in the audition room?
10. What about props?
11. What about costume?
12. What level of dance ability do I need to demonstrate?
13. Will I get feedback after the audition?
14. How good a singer do I need to be?

1.

For characters and speeches that reflect your experience of the world. Do not attempt to undertake 'disguise' acting by choosing something that requires a funny walk, strange voice or to be someone.

2.

Yes, so long as the edited version makes sense. There is no such thing as a monologue - what you hear in soliloquy is always one half of a dialogue, either with yourself or someone else. If you choose this option, do not cut together lines from different scenes because the text will not make sense and always acknowledge the 'other' person.

3.
Not really. Monologue books are useful for helping people who do not have a broad knowledge of repertoire to begin to look for ideas.
However, there is a danger that you will find a speech in a monologue book, learn it, and study no further. Many books have American pieces, the full text of which cannot acquired in the UK and some of these a purpose-written audition speeches. The other danger with American pieces is that they are culturally outside the experience of many of the applicants.
Another problem is that many of the speeches in the monologue books are very well know. You must select a speech from a full play that has been published, and it is vital you have read the whole play to understand context and allow that knowledge to inform the work which you are doing.

4.
Not really. Few poems give you the scope to explore a character and his emotional journey in the same way as play text does.


5.
Yes - especially in the classical range and some pieces from auditions books. Always avoid material like Victoria Wood monologues, Alan Bennett's 'Talking Heads' or pieces that are identified with celebrated performances.


6.
If the speech really stands up and works in its own right, then it is perfectly acceptable. However, there are so many factors that influence screenwriting that often a text, which seemed amazing in situ, just doesn't work when taken out of context. Avoid any pieces that are strongly identified with an actor or performance: Keyser Soze from 'The Usual Suspects', for instance.


7.
No more than two minutes - and ideally somewhere between 1 minute 40 and 1 minute 50 seconds. You will stopped if you go over two minutes. However, it is the first 10 seconds that will really need to grab the panel's attention.
Do not get hung up on the idea that your audition speech needs to tell the whole story of the play. A good speech will enable you to give a real insight into a moment in the character's life.


8.
Yes - but only if you are fluent in the accent, if it is your native accent or you speak it like a native and it is appropriate to the character. If it is none of these and it is potentially distracting or likely to disguise you or obscure your real voice, then don't do it. Also remember that Received Pronunciation (RP), also known as Standard English, is a 19th century invention. It did not exist when Shakespeare wrote his play. If in doubt, do the classical speech in your own voice, not RP.


9.
A table and chair will be available in each audition room. However, it is important to remember that if you have an unseen person in a chair, do not put the empty chair in the middle of the stage, otherwise the scene will become a scene about an empty chair.


10.
Unless a prop is absolutely essential - a letter, or a ring - then do not bother. If you do think a prop is needed, bring it with you and ensure you are thoroughly familiar with it. Do not bring a whole suitcases of bits and pieces with you. We are interested in seeing you, not how you juggle utensils retrieved from the loft.


11.
An indication of costume, such as appropriate shoes, shirt or skirt, to assist you is fine. But what is more important is whether or not you can connect to the character and tell us their story. Whatever you wear should be comfortable and supportive of your work. Think about the style and weight of your shoes; fashion heels are not suitable.


12.
You are not required to have any particular level of attainment as a dancer. However, we look to see if you have an ability to be trained in free and co-ordinated movement with a good neutral posture. This potential is assessed in the workshop element of the recall audition.



13.
After your first audition you will receive short, constructive, verbal feedback comments from the audition panel. They may discuss their ideas about your choice of pieces and may make suggestions about how they can be improved or how they feel that you should proceed. During the recall audition you will receive a voice assessment. No further discussion will take place as to why you may, or may not, have been offered a place.


14.
At audition we look at your ability to communicate through text, whether is be spoken (verse, the heightened language of comedy of manners, or contemporary text) or sung.


Royal Central School of Speech & Drama

Those attending auditions for Acting BA, Acting (CDT) BA or Acting (Musical Theatre) BA are expected to prepare two speeches from the list below.

These speeches are listed by the gender of the character as originally written. All candidates should feel free to choose speeches from either list. We would always recommend that candidates select speeches which best demonstrate their strengths and abilities, and that alone should be your guiding principle when selecting your speeches.

Speeches for male characters	Speeches for female characters
‘Was ever a woman….with some little cost.’  King Richard III (Act 1 Scene 2)	‘I pray you tarry….to stay from election.’ Portia from The Merchant of Venice (Act 3 Scene 2)
‘But soft what light…cheek.’  Romeo and Juliet (Act 2 Scene 2)	‘Enforced thee…we’ll after them.’ Queen Margaret from King Henry VI part III (Act 1 Scene 1)
‘To be thus is nothing…utterance.’ Macbeth (Act 3 Scene 1)	‘Brave warriors….to make thee mad do mock thee thus.’ Queen Margaret from King Henry VI part III (Act 1 Scene 4)
‘Gone already…feel it not.’  Leontes from The Winter’s Tale (Act 1 Scene 2)	‘O yet, for God’s sake….so you left him.’ Lady Percy from King Henry IV part II (Act 2 Scene 3)
‘What’s this? What’s this?....I smiled and wondered how.’ Angelo from Measure for Measure (Act 2 Scene 2)	‘You’ve ungently, Brutus…with your cause grief.’ Portia from Julius Caesar (Act 2 Scene 1)
‘I heard myself proclaimed….Edgar I nothing am.’ Edgar from King Lear (Act 2 Scene 3)	‘Gallop apace….may not wear them.’ Juliet from Romeo and Juliet  (Act 3 Scene 2)
‘Look here upon this picture…O shame, where is they blush?’ Hamlet (Act 3 Scene 4)	‘My Lord, as I was sewing….comes before me’ joined onto ‘He took me by the wrist…bended their light on me.’ Ophelia from Hamlet  (Act 2 Scene 1)
‘Tis torture and not mercy….that word banished?’ Romeo and Juliet (Act 3 Scene 3)	‘Hard to seem won….stop my mouth.’ Cressida from Troilus and Cressida (Act 3 Scene 1)
‘Let me see her face again…thou hast done much ill well.’ Ferdinand from The Duchess of Malfi – Webster (Act 4 Scene 2)	‘By day and night he wrongs me….prepare for dinner.’ (Omit Oswald’s  lines) Goneril from King Lear (Act 1 Scene 3)
‘Shall I expound whore…all that receive it.’  Monticelso from The White Devil – Webster (Act 3 Scene 2)	‘What studied torments, tyrant…..and vengeance for’t nor dropp’d down yet.’ Paulina from The Winter’s Tale (Act 3 Scene 2)
‘O that this too too solid flesh…hold my tongue.’ Hamlet (Act 1 Scene 2)	‘I left no ring with her….too hard a knot for me to untie’ Viola from The Twelfth Night (Act 2 Scene 2)
	‘I would not be thy executioner….that can do hurt.’ Phoebe from As You Like It (Act 3 Scene 5)
	‘And why, I pray you?....fare you well’ Rosalind from As You Like It (Act 3 Scene 5)

Amongst our research (as well as our handouts) we were incredibly privileged to be visited by Christian Burgess. He is the current Director of Drama at Guildhall School of Music & Drama and has been for the last 5 years; a working professional, Christian trained at there and came out to progress and gain a remarkable CV filled with television, theatre and film acting experience.

Publically directed:

- Too Young for Ghosts                          

- Confusions

- Ghetto 

- I Capture the Castle

- Live Like Pigs

- Tales from Ovid

- The London Cuckolds

- Stanley

- Don Juan in Soho

- The Last Five Years

- Badenheim 1939

'He has a strong interest in collaboration across the disciplines and has led many initiatives to bring the School's Acting, Music and Technical Theatre Arts Students together, both inside and outside the curriculum.

He is a regular director at Prima Del Teatro in Tuscany, and is a member of the board of Ecole des Ecoles (a network of theatre schools from across Europe dedicated to sharing philosophy and practical expertise).'