#bc i've been arrroouuund the drama skl audition block

[swanqueensalad]

Hi, I'm the drama school anon - thank you so much, your response was really helpful!! I know I absolutely want to be an actress, though I still haven't quite decided which route to take into the industry, but if you wouldn't mind giving some audition advice I would really love to hear it!

hi! so glad my response was useful in some way!

so all of this pretty much pertains to uk drama school/university acting course auditions:

generally you have the standard one classical, one contemporary monologue for everywhere you audition, but it's best to check the audition process page thoroughly online first for every place you go to, because some do have variants - central has a list of classical monologues you must pick from, some places require a song or an interview you might want to prepare for etc.

also as a rule it's best to do your research on every school before you decide to audition just to see what their course offers specifically that might be good/not so good for you personally!

in terms of picking monologues, stick to your general age/casting type. some schools are cool with doing monologues traditionally for actors of the opposite gender, but don't do that just to be different - basically you want something that can be genuinely truthful for you. if you’re 18-23 don’t go in with something about a divorce and kids 😂

it's also good to find something with an emotional journey/several shifts/where you are different at the end of the speech from the start.

obviously, read the plays your monologues are from and know who you are speaking to/why, be prepared to discuss these things with the panel if they ask. it's a monologue, but it is so important to have another character in your head that you are talking to, playing off imaginary reactions etc.

idk if this is controversial, but this is what i was told by teachers who ran the panel at conti - mainly in an audition they are looking to see you play objectives. so they want to see that you want something from the person your character is speaking to, and that you're using the speech to try and get it. (this is very stanislavski and not something to worry about too much but just bear it in mind. actively playing objectives really does bring a monologue to life.)

some places may redirect you - this is literally not a comment on your acting at all, it just means they want to see how you respond to direction/how open and ready you are to play as an actor. so if this happens, you want to just really listen to what they are asking of you and run with it!

obviously it's going to be different depending on what helps you and your speeches personally, but imo if they have a student/someone there to use as an eyeline/bring into the space to direct your monologue to, use them. they're there for you.

if there's a workshop part of the audition, honestly imo those are the best. they tend to relax you and warm you up for your panel, so really try to just have fun and be present in all the exercises/don't worry too much about why they're making you do it or what they're looking for - just treat it as a warm up/something for you. that said, do be friendly, open, forthcoming with ideas.

this may seem obvious but be nice! they're not just judging your acting, they're trying to work out if you as a person are a good fit for their school and whether you would work well with them and get along. so just be honest, warm, friendly and yourself!

when you walk in for your panel, greet them and say hi, don't wait for them to greet you - this immediately makes you seem more confident and on a level with them

because let's be honest, you are also judging them! whether you like the environment/style of working/would feel comfortable working with them for the next 3/4 years! don't think of them as being above you in any way. this is a collaborative, two way process.

also make friends with the people in your audition group if you can! start conversations! everyone is just as nervous as each other especially if it's they're first year auditioning, so if nobody's talking it's because they're all waiting for someone to make the first move. (generally though people are all really friendly and lovely). they are not your competition. they are your support.

equally, don't get worried/freaked out by people in your group having the same monologue as you, it's going to happen, especially with the classical. it's really nothing, and will always be so different because you're different people.

make sure you also chat to any student helpers who are around, ask everything you have on your mind! no such thing as a silly question (from someone who has been a student helper at open days), this is a big decision for you to make, so get all the info you can!

just generic misc advice - bring snacks/food/water, make sure you've had a good breakfast, follow the clothing guidelines on the websites (don't feel you have to wear blacks but just comfy, loose clothes/stuff you can move in with no big designs/logos, minimal makeup), make sure you're a bit early so you can find where you need to be

if they give you time before your panel to warm up, do it. it's easy to get distracted by other people and obviously this is different actor to actor, different things help different people, but even if you can just have a few moments of quiet to ground, centre and prepare yourself in whatever way you find helpful before you go in, do it. nobody will judge you, lots of people will be doing the same thing.

if you have a regional accent, please please please use it! generally doing any accents other than your own is a big no no in drama school/uni audition settings. they want to hear you and your general authentic voice

finally, i know i brought this up a little in my last post but these auditions are expensive. make sure all the places you're going for would actually be a good fit for you before you spend that money, and always check the websites for any fee waivers they may offer to first-time applicants/people of different backgrounds. my first year auditioning i got a few auditions completely free!

(also not to shit on RADA here, this is literally just my opinion, but their audition price is way above the standard and in my experience it's just a very quick panel audition and the odds of getting in if you're a first time applicant are very slim, so if that's not one you've absolutely got your heart set on i'd say it's really not necessary. not sure if they have a waiver or not, but it is cheaper if you apply earlier.)

this is probably the hardest thing, but try to forget about an audition once it's over. don't analyse. don't have any expectations for the outcome. this makes it so much easier. 

and like i said, don't take the rejections personally. just because of numbers the sheer odds of getting into some of these places are so small, and often it's a matter of age, logistics, what casting types they're after that year. don't be deterred <3

i really hope some of this was useful! the main thing is just to really thoroughly read the audition sections of the websites and to try and have fun!

again, if there's anything else i can help with, my DMs and asks are always open. please do keep me updated! this is a really exciting journey whichever way you decide to go and i wish you the best of luck with everything! we gotta stick together in this buck wild industry 💪

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