PART FOUR
The Auditions: Winning Ways – and Knowledge

All in the mind

In these next sections, there will be recurrent reminders of stuff that has been covered, but they are pertinent to each specific stage of the game in your campaign and they are there in case you are visiting these pages in isolation. There’s also new information.

Okay, if you are a week or so away from your first audition, then it’s time to get mentally strong for the event. Remember, nerves are good, excitement is good; action over inaction is really good.

Besides anticipating the fruition of all your efforts and exercises so far, you should remind yourself of a number of the things that have rippled through these pages. So let’s revisit:

Mantras Revisited

I have added a couple which might be of use to you at this stage of the game.

1. Mantras for the head

It’s all good and nothing bad Whatever happens in the run-up to the audition, and indeed during it, keep hanging on to ‘It’s all good and nothing bad.’ Positive vibe. Always.

Be a Warrior, not a Worrier If you only worry, or if you just dither and panic, you get nowhere and nothing can be done.

Make fear your friend You are, inevitably, going to be nervous. But harness this force and turn it into something positive and galvanising. Make it work for you, not against you. Maintain a gentle focus on what you want to achieve, which is…

It’s not about drama school – I am just here to do my best work Don’t ever think about the audition as ‘I have to get into drama school.’ Just look forward to the opportunity to do your best work and possibly even enjoy a moment of release for all the hard effort and thought you have been putting in. Having said this, it is also true that…

You only get one shot So you don’t want to blow it. You need to be mentally strong and cool-headed enough to step up to the plate, take a second or so to remind yourself of what is required for you to do your best work, create the world, then go! But make sure you can accomplish everything you want to, first time round. Now is the time get cracking again on hitting the bullseye in one shot. So start well!

Be you, be true – again, yes I know, but… You have to be who you are, not dwindled and small because the auditioners are big and they have what you are after. No, no. They want to meet the real you, maybe the slightly nervous you, but ‘you’ nonetheless.

2. Mantras for the work

Start well, end well It is absolutely fundamental that you make certain you are getting your focal points right before you start your speeches. Are you setting your focus? Are you connecting to the world of the character?

Get used to going from one speech to the other whilst staying centered. No matter how well or badly you think it went, it is always ‘all good and nothing bad’. You have no idea what the panel thought, so don’t think or judge for the panel – it’s a waste.

Change is good! You’ve read it often, but it is crucial. Keep the panel engrossed and interested. Use change and use it frequently. Don’t stay locked on to one thing, or on one level. Change brings life and colour, excitement and interest.

Be specific with words and intentions Never be general with what you are doing. Take care of the detail of what the character means. To be specific, you always have to be on duty while you rehearse and always when auditioning. Staying on duty takes diligence.

Go anywhere, but come from somewhere Be free and open enough to go where the moment takes you, but make sure what you are doing and saying is rooted in truth and depth.

It’s all about the words The words are all you have. Your job is to deliver them with credibility and clarity. Explore them. Respect them. Let them affect you. You should not try to affect them. They are not yours to do that with.

Make the speech about the other character And about what yours wants from them. ‘Place’ the other character in the space; see them, hear them, address them. See a face, don’t just see space when addressing another character.

Lighten up, have fun Don’t be so scared, defensive, hyped or serious that the panel never sees who you are. They need to have a good time too.

What Happens at an Audition?

Well, all auditions vary slightly in their content and nature, but one thing is for certain: your auditioners are not there to persecute you or drag you through any kind of horrid ordeal. Most candidates report having had a warm, fun encounter. They met staff and students who were genuinely interested in them as people. Some first auditions are group events, others will be just you and the panel. If it’s a group session, there could well be a group warm-up. Do a conscientious warm-up to help you loosen up. The school is already looking at you. But relax, too. (See ‘Group Auditions’.)

For detailed information about what will happen at each school and first-hand feedback from candidates’ personal experiences over the years plus loads of other stuff, click onto this book’s website: www.excellentauditions.co.uk

Introductory talk Sometimes an introductory talk is given about acting, the profession and the particular school you are at. They may ask if you have any questions. Do you? Is it a real one?

Waiting around There will often be some waiting to do. Current students might be on hand to look after you and show you around. Some are chattier than others. This is a good opportunity to ask questions. But don’t blow all your concentration completely on chatting. There could be a waiting area. Chill, but ‘maintain’ in this space, whilst steering round distractions. Some auditions can be a bit in-and-out and it’s all over before you know it. So tune in to what you want to achieve. One shot!

The panel and the room The panel typically consists of between two and four people, sometimes with an ex- or current student there, too. The rooms can vary in size, shape and ability to intimidate. Therefore, feel the space as you go in. Adapt to it. Tame it. Own it. Feel good.

Interview It’s possible that they will want to talk to you before the speeches, or after – or both. If they want to have a chat beforehand, see that you don’t get too cosy. Give yourself time to get back into gear before you start your monologues (see ‘The Interview’).

Song Some might want you to do your song; others will wait until you are recalled.

Recordings It’s becoming common for schools to record auditions. Ignore the camera, unless you get instructions to the contrary. Don’t be fazed – it’s just machinery.

Re-direction The staff might (or might not) rework your pieces. Be ready, but don’t expect it or worry about either outcome. Re-direction could be down to several reasons:

•	To verify that you have other gears.
•	To see if you are wedged into one well-practised mode and incapable of change or plasticity.
•	To experience collaboration with you.
•	To find out if you are a listener.
•	They just want to see more of what you can do.

Typically, the panel could request you to sit down, tone it down and redo the monologue directly to them. Here, they will be monitoring your ability to connect with the passage, rather than to act it out. Other auditioners could ask you to do the opposite of what you just gave them, or they might set a scene for you. For example:

Imagine you are lying to someone who you really like because you don’t want to give them bad news.

If you have had an experimental journey with your pieces, re-direction will not present a problem for you.

‘I have found over the last few days that it is not the actual audition that has been on my mind but small, trivial things, such as what I should wear and how to greet the panel at the beginning of the audition.’ Alice

Group auditions

A group audition is very much about how you interact with the other candidates.

You will probably do your pieces in front of everyone else as well. If you are asked to go first or last – it’s all good…

‘Basically, relax and don’t try to be someone you are not, but be willing to try whatever they may throw at you. For example, during one audition I was asked to be a sparkler! In this situation, don’t act like you think this is stupid (even though it is, really), but just embrace it, have fun and don’t take yourself too seriously. And stay focused at all times, as the panel may call you in suddenly because someone may not have turned up or something. Do not waste time scaring yourself or letting others scare you.’ Dani

OMG, they are all better than me! Don’t compare other people’s work to your own. Just go with the experience. When you see someone else respond to an idea or create a moment, you might well be staggered by their inventiveness and blown away by their skill. This is when you start to judge your own efforts against theirs and begin to think that you are rubbish.

You can bet your bottom dollar that the person who has just staggered you will be thinking exactly the same thing about you. We all do this. It’s human nature. So don’t worry. Stay positive. Everyone around you may look fab; they could be doing rave speeches and being really creative and witty in the impro stuff. Worse still, they might be getting all the exercises right, seemingly with no effort at all. Don’t worry, because they are not you and they cannot offer what you do. It’s all good and nothing bad. If, perchance, a candidate is awful, don’t bring negative waves into your head or the room. Be generous.

Support the work in the room! Collective effort and shared focus are the essences of how a piece of theatre is conceived and performed. Support the work in the room by being attentive to and interested in what everyone else is doing. That is what the school is looking for. If you fidget through other people’s efforts and switch off when it’s not your turn, it’s a dead giveaway that you’re not a team player. Depressingly, many participants just down tools when the attention isn’t on them. Don’t be one of these. Support the work!

It’s all about the work Many group auditions and recalls are designed to present you with the work ethic and general ethos of the school, so workshops will echo the principles and philosophy of their training regime.

Get into what they want you to do. Make it about that. Don’t worry about you or how you are doing. Have a great time interacting and learning a shed-load more than you already knew. For this day, you’ll have some of the best teachers in the country, possibly the world.

‘Group auditions are like nothing you expect. I thought everyone else auditioning would be judging the way I look, as well as the panel, but it really is silly to think like that. It’s better to just focus on yourself and not wrap yourself up in everyone else’s judgements. But obviously you will be working with them too. Not to enter as a nervous wreck is good too. Haha.’ Steph

The Interview

Generally speaking, candidates approach the interview in one of two ways. Either they do nothing about it, because they don’t see it as important. Or they get into a right old flap and become terrified, thereby making this part of the process into a massive mountain of dread and self-doubt.

If you fall into the former category, then the next paragraph should be a wake-up call. If you are in the latter – relax. The interview is just a friendly chat and the interviewers are not there to grill or fry you.

The contact you have with the panel is important; it is just as important as the audition.

This is where the panel will wish to see who you are, discover what you think and generally find out about you. Other factors might include:

•	How committed you are to drama-school training and the ensuing career.
•	They could want to test your character with more probing questions and comments.
•	They will be interested to see if you can speak with authority about your choices.
•	They will want to know if you can be objective when discussing your performance.
•	They may be keen to hear if you know what’s happening out in Theatreland.
•	Do you have a finger on the pulse of the profession that you want to enter?

Like I said, these encounters are usually warm and amicable, sometimes funny, often interesting exchanges of ideas. But to maximise your chances, you must not underestimate the significance of this element of the audition.

What else do the interviewers want to know? Here are some of the more salient points:

•	Are we going to be able to work with this person?
•	Are they listening?
•	Are they going to be positive and not negative? Open to suggestion?
•	Are they going to be fun?
•	Can they hack it?
•	Can they do the hours?
•	Are they precious?
•	Are they committed?
•	Are they personable, affable, sociable?
•	Can they collaborate?
•	Are they interested in the art and the profession?
•	Or only interested in themselves?

It’s not an exam: how to respond to a comment or question Well, it’s a cinch really – Relax! By now you have read this a lot: you just need to be you – perhaps a teeny bit more energised and attentive than usual, but you. What’s important is that you make real contact and communicate properly and clearly. Don’t get all formal and rigid, as if the interview were some sort of exam.

Talk with them. Be even, but not flat. Give yourself time to think about the real answer to the question. The panel really won’t mind waiting for a considered response.

Seek balance. You don’t want to be so laid-back that you slouch around in the chair looking cool. Conversely, you don’t want to be on-the-edge-of-your-seat hyper-keen – like a little doggie.

Mind the gap! Don’t jump in – stand back. The one thing that people usually want to do in an interview, especially if they have dwindled themselves, is to leap in with ‘noise’ to fill that terrible gap between when the interviewer finishes talking and it becomes their turn. Don’t just jump. Take time to assimilate the comment or words. This is proper, normal conversation.

Listen to them by shutting down the inner voices Kill the demons! These inner voices may be saying things like, ‘Do I look like I’m really listening?’ ‘How can I be keener?’ ‘I’m nodding, but I haven’t really heard much of what they said.’ ‘Please like me!’

If you don’t understand what is being said to you, give yourself some time by repeating what was said or asked. Then you can think. You could ask them to clarify. It’s much better to communicate properly. Make it a conversation with them, not with yourself.

Rubbish answers and hole-digging If you are talking nonsense, or your argument turns to gibberish halfway through, admit it and change your answer. You don’t have to keep on with a rubbish answer just because you started out with it.

This would be as foolish as pushing on with a poor performance just because your piece started that way or slipped into it. Rescue things! Take control of your destiny! Don’t dig more holes. Own up and start again. Say, ‘Actually, that’s rubbish and not what I wanted to say. This is what I really meant…’

Then say what you really wanted to say before panic kicked in and you started talking sh*te. The panel will admire your honesty.

If you don’t know, say so There could be instances where you have never thought about what is being asked, or you genuinely don’t know. The almost irresistible urge is to blag it. That is the first instinct, the panic instinct. Don’t blag it! Tell them you have never actually thought about this, then offer an opinion. This is smart, because then you won’t dig holes or force yourself to make a rubbish answer. Also, they won’t be able to toss you digging implements to make the hole bigger – because you are not in ‘the hole.’

Rambling Nerves or uncertainty may make you ramble on. Keep it tight. If you have answered the question or made your point, stop talking. That’s it. Finish. Stop.

Be open, be honest, be you, be true Just try to be open and honest. The school will warm to courage, honesty and openness. They like people who are committed and focused. But they also want to work with fun, generous types who are able to communicate effectively with directors, tutors or fellow students.

What’s the answer? There is not necessarily a right or wrong answer – just your answer. I could go on here about what the best or preferred answers might be, but this would be defeating the object, which is for you to consider what you feel about a statement or question from someone on the panel. Then, after thinking, you can make a considered, honest response.

To be honest, if you are truly serious about things, if you’ve done your research and approached your pieces with integrity, you will already know the answers to most of them. Even the nasty ones like: ‘What can you offer us?’ or ‘What can we offer you?’

Likely questions At the back of this book, I have put together some samples of commonly asked questions, so that you can familiarise yourself. Mull them over. But don’t come up with an automatic, pre-learned answer. I’ve also made a few notes as to what some of the questions are about and how to approach them.

Question marks:

•	Have a proper conversation.
•	Don’t jump in with an answer just to fill the silence.
•	Listen and understand.
•	If you don’t know, say so! Then offer an opinion.
•	Don’t dig holes.
•	Be as honest as you can.
•	Don’t ramble: answer the question, then stop.
•	The panel will appreciate your answer.

Vital prep approaching the audition day

Be strong, get fit As well as being mentally strong, you should also consider your physical fitness, because many schools have all-day, physical-workshop-type auditions. If you are recalled, you will, more than likely, be involved in physical classes, some of which are very exacting.

Preview that interview Buff up on what you have been up to lately. Consider jobs, experiences, adventures, shows you’ve been to see. Readdress the reasons why you want to train as an actor.

Walk in well Here is a really fun, but quite scary, exercise to help you get ready to walk in and meet the panel, calmly but positively.

‘Hi, I’m Jane Smith and I am talented.’

You won’t really want to say that on the day, but this exercise is a way of revealing your shields and tics.

‘I’m talented’ is an uncomfortably difficult thing to say: no one wants to walk into a room and proclaim, arse-like, that they are talented. It seems boastful. And many people don’t have the self-esteem even to think this thought. But when you audition or do an interview, you should at least feel talented, thanks to your fantastic prep. It’s what you have to do with your presence and manner, while still being amenable and normal.

This (fun) exercise is great preparation for the moment when you have to walk into a room under public pressure, without trying to hide behind fidgeting or flirting or making all manner of mad moves. It also acts a micro-audition piece that you have to connect to. It is a short text that you have to deliver truthfully, and conclude well.

•	Gather some auditioning friends or drama classmates.
•	One by one, walk into the space, step up onto a chair or stand in front of your pals.
•	Take a second to take them all in and ‘be’ with them all, genuinely and warmly.
•	Then say, really truthfully:
	‘Hello/hi, I’m Andy Johnson and I’m talented.’ [Say your own name… obviously…]
•	Do this calmly, and as ‘you’. Without leaning, chinning, worrying, lying, fidgeting, drifting or compensating. Don’t ‘act’ it, ‘dwindle’ it, or overcompensate it.
•	Don’t change your voice up or down. Don’t fade or tail off towards the end of this very short sentence. Everyone else will be tuning in very carefully to scan for these telltale things.
•	Ask the others if they believe you. By ‘believe’, I mean were you… just you? Were you as truthful and honest with yourself as you could be, vocally, mentally and physically?
•	The feeders-back must gently (or, for more fun, un-gently) note every little untruth or fidget. They must be honest, look deep and then tell all. This can a very taxing exercise, especially if the rule is that you have to keep doing it all again if, in the opinion of your ‘panel’, you screwed it up. But it can be hysterically funny, if done in the right spirit, to see the idiocy and contortions we invent to try to hide ourselves or avoid being ‘seen’. And this is a paradox, considering acting is fundamentally about being stared at.

Do this exercise with generosity to the people watching and to yourself. Be nice to be with. Do it well, not aggressively, not overconfidently or cockily, or shyly. Be still. Be confident within yourself.

The night before

Embrace any feelings you have and fix your mind on what you want to achieve.

Sort out the clothes that you know are right for this day. Dress properly in working gear.

All schools stipulate sensible clothing. Take out any piercings: never go with a tongue piercing in. I know! – but it happens. The secret is to get them to focus, undisturbed, on you and what you are doing so they can see how dazzling you are. You don’t want them dazzled by jewellery glittering, or sidetracked by crazy designs, terribly funny T-shirts, or un-sensible shoes.

You require their undivided attention so you can do your thing. Don’t have the panel wondering what statement you think you’re making about yourself with the pierced eyeball, or the fedora hat. Dress neutral – but not like a mime artist.

Pack your stuff Maps, books, sheet music if required, MP3 player, phone, water, change, things to keep your hair off your face. Include whatever you need to keep you comfortable. Find something warm to wear between classes. Just don’t be hoofing around in the morning looking for things.

What have you been up to? Get thinking on how to talk about what you have been doing lately. This can be a common conversation topic. Have you read anything interesting lately? Seen any shows? Who was in them? Who directed them? What about the designer? Don’t forget to include things you might have done outside acting, like your shoe-shop job, or that intensive chicken-training course.

Have a look at the list of interview questions (at the back of the book) Play some inspiring music and browse through a few questions. Shun prepped, fixed answers but know the area you could talk about without ‘um’-ing and ‘er’-ing.

Don’t party the night before (you’d be surprised…) Instead, re-read their prospectus so that the image of the school, and what they are about, is clear in your mind, and you can answer questions such as ‘Why do you want to come here?’ or ‘What can we offer you?’

Don’t wonder and wander Try to relax. Don’t fill your head with panic and conjecture. It’s okay to be nervous. Accept the nerves, don’t luxuriate in them. Go for a walk or a swim. Take a bath. Treat yourself somehow. Have an early night.

Run your speeches Start well, fix your needs and those of the character. Connect and do your best work.

Night-before-caps:

•	Pack what you need, so that you are not rushing in the morning.
•	Refresh your memory as to what you have been up to lately.
•	Check over the interview questions. Peruse your personal statement.
•	Don’t fill your head with worry.
•	Run your speeches. Run a bath.

‘I never felt ready, but I never felt unprepared. What I think about is the interview, the body language I’m showing them and how to refine my enthusiasm so that I don’t look like that naive and immature girl who has been in a couple of plays at school and thinks she can take a stab at it in the real world.’ Luci

The audition day

Try to have fun. Go there with the idea of having a good time. Enjoy the opportunity to let rip with everything you have learned. Meet some interesting people on the panel.

‘So yeah, the usual feelings are all there: nervous, excited, scared sh*tless, etc., but get out of your own head and you realise it isn’t about worry. It’s about focus and positivity. And… That’s about it :D’ Dani

Banish panic – make fear your friend (revisited) Right, because today is ‘the day’, you are going to be nervous. You are going to be afraid. There is nothing you can do about that. So embrace the nerves; make them work for you, not against you.

What’s the point of letting these feelings ruin your fantastic-ness? What’s the point of buying into other people’s anxiety? I’ll tell you: none – there is no point. Big tip: the panel members really do know that you’re nervous and they are used to this. They make allowances.

Nerves are a large part of the performance buzz. They are natural. Professional actors get them all the time. They are part of the thrill and the adrenaline of the situation. That’s why acting is attractive. The risk. The thrill. The danger. Let nothing get in your way. You’ve come this far, now go for it! It’s all good and nothing bad.

Wake up early, but chill out Today, especially this day, don’t get up and start doing ‘getting in to drama school’ dramas. Don’t make this your goal for the day: it will render things desperate. Sure, this is your aim. But really, you want to be preparing yourself and your mind for the act of doing your best work when it counts most. If you let anything get in the way of that, after all your hard work, you are crazy. Some of the things that follow will help arm you and make you strong for the day.

Look back at the mantras Carry them with you for the day.

Eat a decent breakfast You’ll need the energy, if it’s a day-long audition or a recall where there are likely to be a lot of physical demands. Take carbs with you.

Do a vocal warm-up Do this either at home or on the way, but do it. Don’t worry about looking stupid. This is an important element in ensuring that you do your best work on the day.

Get there calmly, get there early Leave home in plenty of time. You don’t want to fall prey to traffic or transport situations, then arrive red-faced, panting and sweating like a racehorse. It gives the wrong impression, even if it’s not your fault that you are off-schedule. Get a map so that you know exactly where you are going. Most schools have maps on their website; some will send you one with their audition info.

Drama schools are really hot on time-management and punctuality in their day-to-day running. So get smart and be cool, calm and collected as you stroll in a good fifteen minutes before the start time. You’ll then have plenty of time to use the loo the four or five times that you will be needing, and also maybe to get a cup of tea and a Kit Kat. (Other chocolate-biscuit-type snacks are available.)

When you turn up, you will usually be met by staff and/or students. They are all there to help you, guide you and relax you. They want you to do well and will be trying (but not spying) to get an impression of you as a person.

Stay chilled Stay calm while you gently distill and refine what you want from this encounter. Don’t get all hyped-up and panic-ridden. Feel and enjoy the flow of your adrenaline, but chill, too. You could even feel a tinge of excitement. This is your day!

Hangin’ around – don’t buy in to other people’s negative energy There will, at times, be many nervous people. Don’t buy in to their fear! Be nice and sociable but keep some personal space, so that you can concentrate calmly on the job.

Many of the nervous will, for sure, feel the need to talk too much. In situations such as these, people are apt to babble. They want to dissipate their tension and anxiety by spreading them into the ether or projecting them onto you. These people will want to tell you how nervous they are, or grill you on the pieces you are doing, etc., etc. They must not come between you and your purpose. Engage. Say ‘hi’, be nice, but get away if you have to, should it all become too much. Go to the toilet. Sneak outside for a second. Get some air. Sometimes earphones are brilliant; just don’t actually attach them to an MP3 player.

Other nervous types like to be in your face with false confidence. Some may be saying they have just had a recall for RADA, LAMDA – ASDA… whatever! Good for them. Be pleased for them but don’t let it affect your thinking, even if they are going in just before you. Forget about them; just make your immediate conditions work for you. Similarly, a candidate may come out of the audition room and blurt something similar to any of the following:

‘Oh no, that was terrible.’

‘I really messed that up, they didn’t laugh once.’

‘That was brilliant.’

‘God, they are in such a bad mood.’ [Rarely true.]

‘They were really awful to me.’ [Usually in his/her head only.]

‘They were lovely.’

‘That went really well.’

‘That was really scary.’

Well, of course it’s going to be scary. Scary is good. Scary is the buzz. Scary is why they invented bungee jumping! That’s why people do acting. Sure, be neighbourly with people; just disengage when you need to. You may well bump into some overexcited, garrulous types who just want to talk about themselves. You haven’t come to chat or make friends today; you’ve come to do your best work. And for that you need space and focus. If you really get on with someone, meet them for a coffee after.

Don’t judge anything, or anybody – even you Being judgemental is not positive and is a waste of your time and serenity. Apply this to meeting people and also to any work that you do or witness.

Be generous to people you meet. Don’t judge or think negatively of anyone, because you may end up having to partner them. It’s much better to look for the good in everything and everyone on your audition day. If someone’s a wally, love them for it. Always keep a good vibe.

Be you, be true The best impression you can give of yourself is an honest one. Be you, be true; it’s all you can do.

Don’t get all rushed If, when you get there, they ask if you want to go in early, if possible say: ‘No thanks.’ Say that you need the loo, or could do with a couple of seconds to compose yourself. Make things work for you.

Make this your time When they call you in, know that this is your time now. The auditioners are there for you. You have paid for the audition; you have travelled; you have worked, you have sweated. Make sure you seize the day. Don’t enter the room unfocused and too scared to marshal your goals and targets. Never leave the room thinking, ‘Oh God, I was this’, or ‘I didn’t achieve that.’ You have to make it all count. To do that you must ignore everything else. Simply be in the moment when it counts.

So:

•	Make fear your friend – again.
•	Wake up early, be positive – banish panic.
•	Do your mantras: sort out what you want to achieve.
•	Eat food.
•	Get there early.
•	Stay chilled. Keep a cool focus.
•	Don’t buy in to other people’s negative energy.
•	Don’t judge.
•	Be you, be true.
•	Don’t get all rushed.
•	Make this your time.

‘Remember, it’s so much better to be there early than be running to get there on time. You will be stressed enough, so you want to make sure you take away all other stressors -– like being late! This also leaves you time to go over your pieces and get into the right mindset for your audition. You want to give yourself the best chance you can to do well. Also, do not underestimate how draining even a ten-minute audition will be and you need to keep on concentrating.’ Fran

Just before you go in

Ask yourself: ‘Am I truly ready for this?’ And find that: ‘Yes, I am!’ Because:

•	You are tranquil, yet charged.
•	You have prepped methodically and with a journey.
•	You have done your homework about the school.
•	You are going to start well and end well.
•	You know that you are not going to judge the panel or worry about them judging you.
•	You also know that you are not going to fall victim to any bad habits when you perform and that you are going to be ‘you’ at all times.
•	You are going to stay connected to every word, energised to the end of every thought.
•	You are going to introduce change and not get trapped in one tone.

Remind yourself that you only get one shot Nothing must divert you from your purpose. Make the notion that you only get one shot something to spur your intent, not to scare you.

Don’t let your status ‘dwindle’ ‘Dwindling’ is something people do when they meet others who seem to be in a position of power, or who can offer something they really want. The urge to fawn, crawl or giggle can be hard to resist. Match your status so that you encounter everyone as an equal. Be prepared to have fun. This is an exchange, an equal transaction. All of the staff on the panel would like to meet nice people and see their best work. You want the same sort of things, therefore you’re equals. Only don’t push your status too far the other way, and become swaggeringly confident.

In the Room: Individual Auditions

What to do and how to be

Walk in well, but normally One of the hardest things in the world is to walk into a room full of strangers and say ‘hello’, however confident you are. Try to compose yourself and centre on being natural – nervous if you are, but neither nuts nor withdrawn.

Own the room – feel okay in the space When you get into the performance space, look around; get the feel of it. The room may be huge, it may be tiny – it doesn’t matter. Whatever size or shape it may be, just be ready for it. Don’t be intimidated by the room or what’s in it: it’s merely the space that will allow you to do – yep – your best work.

Don’t try to figure out the panel – it doesn’t matter The panel may be friendly (and usually they are), or indifferent, or tired, or quiet, or jolly. It doesn’t matter.

Often, panel members don’t look up much if they are listening and writing. They may be writing good things; they may be making less positive comments. What does this matter to you? They may laugh, they may not. It doesn’t matter. Go with whatever happens. It’s all good and nothing bad while you are in there, especially when you’re performing. Let nothing put you off.

They may talk with you before or after your speeches – it doesn’t matter. There may be no talking. This, too, means nothing. I have known people get recalls who simply went in, did their stuff and left – nothing more. Others get the full interview, directed, joked with and even shouted at. It doesn’t matter. Just go with whatever happens.

Largely, they will be concentrating, and listening. So it may seem as if they don’t like you, or are indifferent. This is hardly ever the case. All their attention is on you and what you are doing, and they would love to see you do it well. I can tell you that it is positively uplifting when someone who is cool, calm and collected eventually walks in, then sets their focus and connects up, then does a speech that engages and absorbs.

It’s worth remembering that you could be asked: ‘What you are going to perform today?’ If you haven’t already addressed this task, try it now. Go on. Just try it without tripping up or saying ‘er’ and ‘um’ more than four times. Make sure you don’t get all ‘formal’.

Get the distance right I nearly always have to ask people to stand back, so that I am not ‘cluttered’ by the performer’s energies and have space to observe and write. Don’t be too far away, though. Around six to nine good paces is about right, but it will depend on room size and where the panel is. Occasionally you will be asked to stand a long way off. But you will be okay with this because you have tried your speeches out at different distances from the audience.

Get your performance positions right If your piece is to another person, fix a mark somewhere in the room to anchor your eye level. Most schools don’t want you to address the piece directly to the panel. (Though some, such as Guildhall, might ask for this.) If they don’t want direct address, then always place the person you are talking to very slightly to the left or right of the panel – up to a metre is fine.

Keep the character being addressed close to the panel, don’t set the character too far to the left or right.

Don’t put the character diametrically to your left or right otherwise all the panel will see is the side of your face, which can become irritating.

If you’re doing two speeches, both involving another character, there is a slight advantage to be had from placing the second person on the opposite side for that speech.

Spin-starts? No Don’t do them. Take a reasonable time to wire everything up. Just to refresh your memory, a ‘spin-start’ is when you spring the speech upon the panel as soon as you hear ‘go’. If you do this, you will not be ready to do your best and neither will the panel be ready to appreciate it. You will even repel them slightly, rather than inviting them into the world you’re creating. Therefore…

Start well I have broached ‘start well’ from several angles already, because this is so, so, so important. The panel usually says: ‘When you’re ready’, or: ‘In your own time.’ They mean it. Take your time to create the moment and the world. But don’t take all day, or do the ‘now I am preparing to perform’ show. So many people just launch into ‘acting’ without ever connecting to what they’re doing.

•	Set your mind and ambition to do your best work and recognise the fact that this is your one shot and that shot is now.
•	Concentrate on what you want to do and what you don’t want to do.
•	Create the world and character. Who are you? Where are you? What’s it all look like? Where is stuff?
•	Inhabit the moment.
•	Let the others in the room connect to you and your character’s world, as you yourself start to connect to everything.
•	Then – go!

Give your character a reason or an impetus to start speaking! Hear, in your head, the lines that have just been said to your character. These are the words that may well be prompting your character to react, to decide to speak. If not, run through what has just happened to you and why it happened. This will propel you into why you are speaking and what the character wants. The panel will be able to enter this world with you – and that also is exactly what you want.

The panel people will see your energy and persona change as you ‘hear’ and engage with what is being said. Then, you are not merely starting a ‘speech’; you are the character, in the moment, speaking because you have to. You’re speaking because you need something. Don’t just launch into ‘acting’.

If you didn’t start well – start again! It’s my belief that if you are not happy with what you are doing, and you’re not too far along, you should just stop and say: ‘I’m going to start again.’ This might seem like an impossibly brave thing to do, but this is your moment. So stop and make sure they get your finest moment. Do it. You can. There’s nothing to lose. Even if you are well along the way and feel you are not hitting it, change things!

There is no rule in any book ever written which says you have to stay on an unsatisfactory track, just because you started like that. You can change things in the next word. Grab hold of things and fix them! Don’t just carry on thinking, ‘Oh well, that was bad, so now I have to live with the rest of it being bad. Oh God, I’m so depressed, I’ll just push on in the same rubbish vein… Okay where’s my coat?’

Anyway, if you have another speech to do, you want it to be all good and not bad when you start it. In other words, always put yourself in a position to maximise your chances. Never leave the room feeling that you stopped yourself from doing your best work. Otherwise the whole exercise is pointless.

End well – Part 2 A lot of folk end really badly, without style or conviction. They disengage from the world of the character way too soon after the last line. This gives the impression that they have not engaged at all.

Stay with the end moment, and let the glow of what you have been doing settle. Stay in it and be proud. Don’t step away with any kind of sheepish, self-destructive look. Don’t apologise verbally, or with a self-effacing countenance. Even if you think you were rubbish, even if you were a complete git, the panel may well have seen something of interest. You never know. In all probability, you will be your worst critic. Let them be the judge of all that. Free yourself from that burden. End with a bang and not with a whimper. You owe it to yourself.

If it wasn’t great (truly), then okay, fine. But onwards! You have another speech to redeem yourself with. Leave whatever demons, thoughts and judgements you may have, behind you.

Stay with it for the next speech If you have another one to do, remain in the zone and prepare yourself. Begin the second piece when you’re ready; think only of doing your best work in this next effort. Assume nothing about what you have just done. Think nothing good or bad. Ruminate later, on the bus.

Going blank If you go blank or forget your lines – it doesn’t matter! If what you have on offer is fresh, interesting and connected, this will not matter a jot. It’s not a memory test. However, there are several courses of action:

•	If it’s early in the delivery, you can stop, gather yourself and start again.
•	You can stop, stay in the moment, gather yourself and carry on.
•	The one and only thing you cannot do is panic and break down.

Keep it together. Even professionals have moments when things screw up. Plenty of people who fluff lines, dry or worse, are recalled and even get in. It is about you, your potential and how you conduct yourself! Even if someone bursts into the room in the middle of your piece, just keep your composure. If you have embraced the mantras, you can handle anything now.

What if they want to direct me, or work with what I have done? They may want to work with you on your speeches. They may not. If they don’t – it doesn’t matter. Do not fret. If they do – do not panic. Just listen, understand, and then go for what they are asking for with everything you’ve got. It’s much better to come out of the speech and say, ‘I think I may have overdone that a bit, I can tone it down if you like,’ than to know you didn’t hit what they were asking for and did nothing to rectify that. This is your moment.

Audition audits:

•	Walk in well, but normally.
•	It’s all about making clean, true connections with the people you meet at the audition and with your work.
•	Don’t try to figure out the panel.
•	Get the distance right.
•	Get your performance positions right.
•	Don’t do spin-starts.
•	Start well.
•	Give your character a reason or an impetus to start speaking.
•	If you didn’t start well – start again.
•	End well.
•	Stay with it for the next speech.
•	Glitches, hiccups, cock-ups: if you don’t show it, they won’t know it. You get points for composure.
•	Go for it if they want to work with you. Don’t worry or wonder.

After the Audition

After each audition, take stock of what happened. Did the auditioners work with you? Scribble down what they asked. Note any comments they may have made regarding your choices or delivery. These are golden nuggets for future encounters, particularly if they recall you.

Was there anything you could have said or done better? Make a note. Meditate, then act upon your experience. Over the years I have given out feedback forms to students to fill in, post-audition (there are many of these on this book’s website, www.excellentauditions.co.uk). It helps them to assimilate the experience.

Note

The audition panel may have worked with you in a specific way, which doesn’t mean that what you offered was wrong or bad, rather that they were looking for change and flexibility. Also, each tutor you work with has her or his own taste, so remember this at the next audition. Different schools will take differing angles, so you could get conflicting comments. No need to get confused. It’s just a case of taking it all on board, then finding your own path through.

Between Auditions

It’s all good and nothing bad, no matter what is happening for you – recalls or not. Just keep working on your head and your acting. Take note of your faults, or things that didn’t go so well, and fix them. Keep going. Never give in!

There are no apparent rules as to who gets in and who doesn’t, apart from the obvious qualities of potential talent, trainability and amenability. Every year I see a couple of people fail to make it who I would have bet my shirt on to get in. I also see totally unexpected cases get snapped up. I have known quite a few people who didn’t get even a wink from the panel for most of their auditions. Then eventually – sometimes even on their last audition – recall, recall, boom… in! You just can’t tell. So everything is up for grabs right till the end. Never give in.

All you can do is keep maximising your chances by staying strong and positive. It’s not over till it’s over. Keep learning, keep working, even if you have to go right back to the start, back to basics. Those who fight on will do better. The fight will, at this stage, be largely in your head, with your self-esteem and your stamina.

Celebrate the success of those around you if they are getting the odd result. Positive!

If you are getting a few rejections, it’s always good policy to reassess your speeches. Maybe they don’t work as well for you now? If you have a few extra pieces ready to roll, you won’t have to scramble around for a new one.

Recall Stages

Generally, these will be physically and mentally demanding, stretching and exacting, but also humane and light-hearted. They are led by highly talented, professional and caring teaching staff and are usually enjoyable. Get into the whole physical and mental challenge. If you have fun, you’ll have a positive and potentially more successful experience. The tutors and directors with whom you’ll be working will be interested in you ‘the person’, as well as you ‘the actor’. This stage of your audition is all about interaction.

Read the details of what they send you Be very sure you have read every letter – to the letter. Know what they want you to prepare.

What happens at a recall? All places are slightly different and change their requirements subtly from year to year. Some do the whole thing – first audition to recalls – in a day. Others, like RADA, will call you back to an encounter similar to the first one before recalling you several more times.

You might get an offer to attend an all-day or even two-day workshop. These are group events. They will consist of intensive classes, usually covering movement, voice, and group improvisation/devising. Go for it, even if they ask crazy things of you. Look for creativity and spontaneity. Basically, are you up for anything? You’ll also get to sing, if you haven’t already done so, and do further monologue work. Your back-up speech could well get called into play now. (See ‘Group auditions’.)

A few schools are currently into sight-reading – sometimes from Dickens and Carroll, where the descriptions are rich and the characters are boldly drawn. Don’t worry about sight-reading, they just want to see how you lift language from the page. Also, don’t worry if you are a tad dyslexic. You will have told them in your application. You could just remind them, though.

Usually there will be more interviews, and they can be much more rigorous than before. You might feel some pressure during these. Relax, and roll with it.

Panels may well be larger in number and the people you see might be different this time around. Current students will often be present for you to work with. Go with what the students offer. Don’t be thrown. Use the people they give you. This is to test your focus and your ability to interact with someone else, whilst in the moment. Trust the moment, trust them and trust your instincts.

Try to do your speeches with, and to, another person in your recall prep. Make the other person be interactive.

Renew your will. You aren’t home yet. Renew your energies If you nail a recall, well done! But you’re nowhere near home yet. It will be very easy at this stage to go off the boil. You may by now feel less worried, a bit more experienced, slightly smug at your success and quite cool. This is the time for the real hard effort!

You are so close but you could be so far off. This is still a test of your will, of how much you want it, and of your mental stamina. It is often at this point in the game that you can get weary or, even worse, complacent. Hey, why not? They like you. You’re hot; you got through; thousands didn’t. Just remember, all the others who did the same are also hot: that’s why they got through. They are now in direct competition with you. But don’t let that scare you, because they are not you and, anyway, you are just here to do your best work!

Now is the time to refocus. Renew your energy and make sure you don’t blow it, now you are this near. Look back to the stuff about group auditions, because many of your recalls will be group events.

Do not get complacent Many people have fallen at this stage through want of a bit of willpower and effort. It is a fact that the better you do in your auditions, the longer the whole campaign will last and the wearier you will become. Many schools have multiple recalls, so if you’re getting these you could still be at it in June.

The longer all this takes, the less willing everyone is to look at their pieces in rehearsal. If you fall into this mindset, you will go stale and your work will lose its edge. I have seen this so many times.

Scary thoughts You are, possibly, going to be a bit scared to work on your stuff because, secretly, you are worried that you have indeed lost your edge. This will be scary, as will the notion that you have to go back to basics and strip it all back and start again. Yes, at this stage it is a scary thought, and something you won’t want to do… But if you don’t stay on top of things and it all drifts into a soupy, soggy, sloppy mess, then you won’t make it.

I can’t count the number of times, at this crucial juncture, that I’ve had candidates say to me that they are okay; they feel good about things and they want to keep the pieces fresh by not over-doing them – only to see, when they do, eventually, show their speeches, rubbish and degenerated work. This reluctance is understandable. After so long and so much work, it becomes almost painful to dig deep and scrutinise your own work. But you must shake off this mindset.

Work with them The panel will want to work on your pieces. In these situations, go for it; don’t wonder or guess. Work with them on the speeches they request. It’s all about how you work and interact with them. You would be doing this with them for three years. They want to be sure that they can sustain this with you – for three years.

Get fit – build stamina As I have said, some classes are very demanding. Some are military-style workouts. People return from a day or weekend of recalls totally whacked. Make sure you are building your stamina for your campaign.

Recalled points:

•	Read, understand and act upon the info the schools will send you.
•	Renew your will.
•	Don’t get complacent.
•	Keep your speeches fresh by working them.
•	Work with the tutors. Go for it.
•	Get fit.

On Recall Days

Get excited Rather than mooch about ‘like foggy south, puffing with wind and rain’ and letting this occasion daunt you (which you won’t, because fear is now your friend), look upon this as a chance to work, in depth for a day or two – with the best. How exciting! How cool is that? You get to work with them on you and your acting. What an amazing experience, whether you get in or not. People usually have to pay big money for this.

Be ready and up for anything As I’ve said, the one certainty from now on is that the school is really going to test you. It may even feel at times that people are trying to break you. They aren’t, but they do want to see what you are made of.

The tutors might want to know if you can take criticism. So be prepared to do crazy things and to withstand provocative questions, comments and direction. Take it all seriously, but enjoy, have fun! Stay positive and flexible. If you are still quite young, they will be seeking to gauge your maturity. You’ll just have to prove your mature mettle and convince them that you are ready for drama-school training.

I’ve heard plenty of people come back saying, ‘OMG, they really, really, really hated me and everything I did.’ And then be offered a place. You just have to stay brave, open-minded, good-humoured and positive, even under what may feel like withering crossfire. It’s all good and nothing bad.

All about the work – no wondering Don’t try to impress, don’t wonder if you are being impressive. Listen and understand. Make it all about the work; don’t make it about you being good or wondering if you are being good or getting it right. Don’t waste energy or focus wondering about the other candidates, either. Like I said – it’s all about working with them.

Long days – stay on duty! This is really, really important! These are long and tough days. Many auditionees lose their focus and concentration at various stages in the day because of the intensity of it all. With physical fatigue comes mental tiredness. Really be on guard against switching off. Never go off-duty! Say to yourself at points through the day ‘Refresh!’ or ‘Renew your energy!’ Sounds a bit hippy, but it works.

Group work, again Be a team player. It’s always good to remind yourself of what’s what. The school is looking to build a team; a company who are going to cooperate creatively and imaginatively, with generosity and sensitivity towards the efforts of others. Take your moments when they come, of course, but then be sure to support the work of others. The panel will be seriously testing your ability to operate in a group and also how you act, react and interact with fellow performers. Once again, support the work in the room. If you don’t or can’t do some of the exercises, don’t panic, stay positive, it won’t be the end of the world. It’s about your spirit.

Younger recalled people If you are in your teens, you may feel pressed somewhat in interview and exercises. Stay cool, smile. Cope.

After the Auditions

When it’s all over, if you made it – good for you. If you didn’t, you may have some thinking to do. You may also be a bit down, feeling rejected and talentless. This is good. Feel these things. Accept them. Then stop. Take a holiday, get a job, earn some cash, meet people and then think about whether or not you want to go through the whole thing again. This process, both head and heart, is what acting is all about.

If the itch, the burn is still there, then have another short break and then turn back to the front of this book and I will be with you every step of the way.

End well…

Well, that’s about all I have to say. It was written from the heart, with all best wishes and a sincere will for you to get where you need to be. Of course, there is a load more, but hey, they’ll tell you all about that at drama school…

In the meantime, keep working, stay positive and keep the mantras with you. All good, nothing bad… All good, nothing bad… All good.

 

 

Here are some last words from someone who made it. Firstly, just before going to drama school:

‘This was me when I found out: “What?! Are you sure? Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh thank you soooo much.” Yes yes yes f***ing YES!! Woohoo!’

And just after drama school:

‘I was absolutely elated when I found out that I had a place on the Three-Year Acting Course at Guildhall, and auditions and working on pieces just melted into joy and anticipation. I did it! I was there! As scary as the prospect of auditioning may seem, it is more than worth it when your hard work pays off. My three years at Guildhall were the most challenging, awakening and character-building of my life so far. If you really want to embark upon this uncertain, scary but ultimately wonderful and fulfilling career, then I would say work hard for your auditions, stay focused and positive and keep a MASSIVE sense of humour and perspective!

Most importantly, don’t make it all about getting a place. Be yourself in auditions, as that is what they want to see. It takes the pressure off a bit too, as that is all you can be!

:) I wish you all the luck in the world.’ Dani

PS: ‘So do I…’ AJ