By Christina Care<\/em><\/p>\nAt Spotlight\u2019s Open House event, Joe Richardson led a wonderful session on auditioning for drama school. We went along to hear all his great advice on how to get your monologue into the best shape possible, and nail that audition!<\/p>\n
Avoid fidgeting beforehand<\/h4>\n
Make sure you\u2019re aware of how you’re behaving before you even get started. \u201cWe notice how people present themselves,\u201d says Joe, so make sure you\u2019re ready and appearing as professional as possible.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t stare down the panel – pick a specific point for delivery!<\/h4>\n
Decide who you are directing the monologue to – is it someone in the audience, is it a spot on the wall? Wherever you need to direct it, keep it consistent. \u201cYou\u2019re only ever talking to one of four things: yourself, the audience, another character or god – be clear who you are speaking to,\u201d Joe says. He also warns: \u201cDon\u2019t eyeball me!\u201d Your panellists will want to make notes, so staring them down may make them a little uncomfortable. \u201c[Looking] above the panel\u2019s eye-line is fine.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pick from a play<\/h4>\n
Don\u2019t do a song or recite a poem, or do anything else that is not a play, unless that\u2019s what has been asked for. A scene from your favourite film is also probably inappropriate. Stick to the brief!<\/p>\n
Introduce or look for levels<\/h4>\n
Think about the levels of emotion in the piece; where does the character start? Where do they end up? It\u2019s vital to really break down and think about the way the piece flows, how emotions are changing or what is being realised, discovered or dissected in the language. As Joe says, \u201cMake it seem like the first time the piece has been spoken, every time.\u201d That\u2019s the big challenge for all actors – so it should be your focus! Take the time to discuss the piece with somebody else if you can and compare interpretations.<\/p>\n
Don’t go over time<\/h4>\n
Seems very obvious, but it is essential. Make sure you time yourself before you get to the audition. Do not go over! You might very well be stopped before you have a chance to finish. Remember: there are likely a lot of other people being seen on the same day, so make your first impression a professional and respectful one. Only take the time you\u2019ve been allocated.<\/p>\n
Try to find something unique<\/h4>\n
Be aware of picking well worn speeches – it can help to differentiate you if you pick something less obvious! While some of the classic monologues in Shakespeare are classics for a reason, it can be risky to take on something that many others in your age range\/casting category are also likely to attempt. Think long and hard about what it is that suits you as a person, and whether there\u2019s something out there that can represent you and set you apart.<\/p>\n
Do your research<\/h4>\n
Monologues set in different times and places (or even contemporary pieces!) will often include some contextual details, like names or places. Do your research and really think about what aspects of the monologue are needed to deliver in a natural and authentic way. If your character mentioned their hometown, for instance, and you can\u2019t pronounce it, that\u2019s definitely going to seem odd! If there are place names mentioned, get on Google – make sure you know how to correctly pronounce them!<\/p>\n
Show your personality<\/h4>\n
Try to show something that reflects you as a person, something that suits you. Ideally, you\u2019d look for something in your accent, that reflects your context – that doesn\u2019t mean you shouldn\u2019t stretch yourself and your acting talents. But it does mean that if you\u2019ve grown up in rural Scotland, a speech that is very much catered to a valley girl of California is going to be a bit odd. Chances are the references will be a little strained, the cadence might be a bit off. Think carefully about your type, your personality and the kinds of characters you are really drawn to.<\/p>\n
Take on any direction<\/h4>\n
Often, a panel will offer you some direction or ask you to repeat sections. Don\u2019t deliver the monologue the same way again – show that you have taken comments on board and are working to adapt or show new sides of the material. Your adaptability and willingness to try is more important than whether you deliver the new direction perfectly.<\/p>\n
Don’t worry about mistakes<\/h4>\n
Mistakes are fine, just as long as you keep working through them! The ability to pick yourself up and keep going, or quickly get back into the zone, are helpful for your audition and will show you in a favourable light. So don\u2019t let a slip up stop you – everyone makes mistakes! The ability to be resilient is very important and an attractive quality in any drama school candidate.<\/p>\n
Thank you to\u00a0Joe for the fantastic session. Take at our other advice on perfecting your\u00a0monologue<\/a>\u00a0online.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Monologue tips from Guildford School of Acting audition panellist Joe Richardson By Christina Care At Spotlight\u2019s Open House event, Joe Richardson led a wonderful session on auditioning for drama school. We went along to hear all his great advice on how to get your monologue into the best shape possible, and nail that audition! Avoid […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":31,"featured_media":1044,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[72,85,75,69,84],"class_list":["post-1043","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-essentials","tag-auditions","tag-christina-care","tag-drama-school","tag-monologues","tag-open-house"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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