Part One: ALRA MA Acting Audition Experience
The school ALRA was only put onto my radar recently when I
heard about People, Places and Things playing at The National then transferring
to The West End with Denise Gough, ALRA alumni. I looked more into the school but
still, I was not 100% sold. Either way, I applied because it looked like some
where I could see myself studying and went for an audition on a Thursday
morning in January.
If there was an overriding theme of this audition, it would
be disorganisation. Don’t get more wrong, it was a fantastic day, but they just
could have been more organised. On the portal where you booked your audition it
said that the start time was 10 AM but then on the website where it gives a
timetable for the day, it says the start time is 9.15 AM. Either way, I got
there just before 9 AM.
The day didn’t start until 10 AM but before that we all just
chatted and got two know each other. Current students were there from 9 AM and
they were SO lovely, and kind and just great. Even though they didn’t really know
what was going on they really made the day. We all played a game then did some
yoga lead by a past student and then the panel entered at 10 AM.
The first thing we did was a warm-up, I can’t remember with
who exactly but a member of staff. What was really annoying was that although
the room we were in was lovely (it’s called the Great Hall and its exactly like
the Great Hall in Harry Potter) the acoustics were TERRIBLE so I seriously
struggled to hear what the guy was saying. I’m not sure if this bit was
assessed but either way it was fun and pretty basic. Some stuff we did was
getting into partners and leading each other around the room with our eyes
closed; following instructions like jump, clap, get into threes whilst walking
in the space etc.
After the warm up, we were divided into two groups. Both
groups then went off into separate rooms to perform their contemporary
monologues in front of a panel and other members of the group. My group
performed ours to Sally, The Head of Acting who just an exemplary woman. My
monologue went okay, there were things I wish I could have done (usually I like
to use the lower pitch in my voice during it so it isn’t all too high pitched
but I didn’t) which I didn’t but it went well.
After we went into a room with a different panel one by one
and performed our classical speeches. I wish it was the other way around
because my classical is speaking to an audience and my contemporary is to one
person. Now would be a good time to mention that you can direct your speech at
an ALRA student if that helps (which I did). My classical went well but I didn’t
know where to look! They don’t like direct address (it says it on their
website) and because there was no audience I needed to picture some sort of fourth
wall which was very difficult to do.
Once the monologues were through it was time to wait…
One of the past students took my group to the toasty shop
nearby to get lunch but then once we had just ordered she ran back in while on
the phone saying “OMG guys, we need to leave RIGHT NOW! I got the time wrong
and they are giving the results right now!” Crazy, IKR.
We were all like “we’ve just ordered” so she spoke on the
phone for a bit then came back inside the shop telling us not to worry and that
we will go back the original time and how it wasn’t her fault- disorganised
right?
So anyway, we went back to ALRA and the other group was already
out and already knew their result. As for me…
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