Could you please watch my DDs audition video and comment?

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QueenBeexoxo
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Could you please watch my DDs audition video and comment?

Post by QueenBeexoxo »

Hi

My dd has an audition for a drama school and is practisicng her monologue. It is from A streetcar named desire and she is portraying the character Blanch Dubois who is over the top and exaggerated.

thank you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=upzbbxD3CJI
In4aPenny
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Re: Could you please watch my DDs audition video and comment

Post by In4aPenny »

My DD and I think its very good. :D You can tell she is really good. However, If you are sure you'd like a few pointers (constructive critisism) we would suggest:

1) Regarding covering the face up - make sure your face is still visible and don't do it all the time.
2) Pitch is too high pitched for too long (even though she is crying/emotional). Try and get a balance of some lower tones as well.
3) Still let your eyes be seen and use the fourth wall more (don't be afraid to look where the audience is bascially, so long as not looking directly at them.
4). I wouldn't allow comments on YouTube - there are some sick individuals out there who love to put people down.

So really just a bit of tidying up is all that is needed. Good luck!!!
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Flosmom
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Re: Could you please watch my DDs audition video and comment

Post by Flosmom »

I don't know anything about auditioning for drama school, or about acting, but as a 'consumer' of performances, I thought it was a good and powerful presentation - well done.

Constructive criticisms for you to work with - I agree with In4aPenny's comments about the pitch - try to get a bit more 'light and shade' in there. And remember to work the pauses too. It's not just about the words, its about the emotion expressed through the silences and your facial expressions too. Now feel free to ignore me if you think I'm a complete numpty.

Good luck - don't forget to let us know how you get on. We'll keep everything crossed for you.

Deb x
pg
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Re: Could you please watch my DDs audition video and comment

Post by pg »

Hi. Best of luck for the audition.

Feedback for your dd:
As I gather from the tape that it is tomorrow, I'm not sure how useful feedback is at this stage. If this is the audition you are using for a drama school audition in the future, please let me know (and let me know how long it is before you audition) because there might be some useful suggestions I could make.

If by any chance you don't get in (I hope you do :) ) then I'd be very happy to give my thoughts for any future auditions if you think it would be helpful.

You have a wonderfully expressive face and a good voice. You know the piece well and are very clear with your choices. As you say, Blanche is an over the top character and I think this makes your job harder as she is often self-conscious - which is not something you want to come across as an actor, if you see what I mean. It might be useful for you to think about what Blanche wants to achieve as she recounts this story. Does she want sympathy? Does she want to shock? Does she want to make people understand how sensitive and fragile she is? Is she afraid of being ignored or misunderstood? If you think about what her needs are, and how they change through the speech and how she needs to change what she is doing or the way she recounts different parts of the story to achieve what she wants, this can help give shape and energy.
Don't ever be afraid to pause as the character collects her thoughts. It's very common for actors to "hurtle" through audition speeches as though they can't wait to get to the end!

Think about the moment when you recount that he leaves the dance floor: Blanche knows full well what happens next and she also knows what has prompted him to go, or certainly assumes that she does. Is she just saving up the shocking news for the maximum effect ? Is the love of drama so much part of her nature she hardly realises she is doing it?

There is one little habit that you might want to watch, and that's an occasional tendency to put in a slight breathy "sigh". That might be a conscious decision for Blanche's character, but the danger is that it is a common "actorly" habit which it might be wiser to try to avoid in an audition as the panel won't know whether it is you or Blanche doing the sighing!

My advice is to be bold (which I think you are well able to do) and just go for it! Enjoy being Blanche :D
QueenBeexoxo
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Re: Could you please watch my DDs audition video and comment

Post by QueenBeexoxo »

Hello all
Thanks every so much for the replies! I have passed this information on and she is currently working on it now (Y)

With regards to PG's comments, she is planning on using the speech for future drama school applications, as her contempory piece.

thanks again! :)
sapphire
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Re: Could you please watch my DDs audition video and comment

Post by sapphire »

QueenBeexoxo wrote:she is planning on using the speech for future drama school applications, as her contempory piece
DD has found that a lot of schools have asked for very contemporary monologues this year - post 1980 onwards! Even RADA specify that it must be from a play published within the past 50 years. So while this is a great monologue it might not fulfill the requirements for the contemporary monologue for drama school auditions!
pg
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Re: Could you please watch my DDs audition video and comment

Post by pg »

The following is intended to be helpful and I hope you will consider it constructive :?

Your dd does it well, but I'm not convinced it's a great choice for drama school auditions. If your dd is completely wedded to it then fair enough, but she should be prepared with another piece as well and also to be prepared to defend her choice. The schools are likely to question the choice because a) Blanche is in her late thirties and b)she is a "Southern Belle" and I do think her accent is very much part of her character and the script is written that way. To play it in your own accent does rather go against the text and the panel may challenge you on this. It's generally considered wise to choose a piece that lends itself to your own accent/dialect and is appropriate for your age.

I also think that choosing a character who pretends so much is fraught with difficulties in an audition where the panel may only see you for three minutes.

sapphire's point is also well worth noting. "Contemporary" is interpreted in various ways by drama schools (they will generally explain exactly what they mean, but they could all be different!). I know that Birmingham, for example, asked for a play published in the last TEN years!
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Genevieve
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Re: Could you please watch my DDs audition video and comment

Post by Genevieve »

agree with pg - best to perform characters around your own age and in your own accent for drama school auditions - My dd did this for a LAMDA exam with accent and that was fine for LAMDA -
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GEORGIEROSE
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Re: Could you please watch my DDs audition video and comment

Post by GEORGIEROSE »

Yes dd was pulled up on it when she did character years older,much better to stick with age appropriate.Might go against you.Vey best of luck [-o<
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