It’s no marvel that many actors discover Shakespeare intimidating. There’s a cultural narrative (backed by a historical past of exclusion and imperialism) that Shakespeare is the province of the rich and elitist. This was not the best way the textual content originated, nor ought to it’s the best way it’s carried out and loved at present.
With the correct instruments, Shakespeare can and needs to be accessible to everybody. And what higher place to begin for an actor than auditioning for Shakespeare?
Listed here are 5 tricks to nail your Shakespeare auditions.
86 Your Shakespeare Preconceptions
The most important enemy of performing Shakespeare is the stress we are likely to placed on it. In his day, Shakespeare’s performs have been loved by all courses, typically written to be well-liked leisure.
Making the textual content so valuable strips it of its capacity to achieve the viewers. You possibly can’t root a efficiency in authenticity should you’re apprehensive about fulfilling some idea of what Shakespeare is “imagined to” sound like. Actors who fall sufferer to this will subconsciously placed on the dreaded “Shakespeare voice,” adopting an assumed gravitas and even quasi-British inflection overseas to their pure voice. Bear in mind, nobody is hiring you to current Shakespeare–they nonetheless need you to behave it. Similar to every other work, your interpretation and embodiment should take priority over any historic takes on the textual content.
The right way to Select a Monologue for Shakespeare
In the event you’re attending common auditions for a Shakespeare firm, the above sentiments are notably necessary to remember whereas selecting your audition items. In the event you don’t know the place to begin, my greatest recommendation is to steer clear of the tremendous well-known monologues (To be or to not be, Girl M’s mad speech, and so on.) but in addition keep away from overthinking it and attempting to decide on one thing utterly obscure. Particularly should you’re auditioning for a Shakespeare firm or a director well-versed in Shakespeare, because it’s unlikely you’ll discover a piece they’ve by no means heard.
There are solely so many performs to select from and the favored ones are well-liked for a purpose. Lastly, should you’re fairly comfy with Shakespeare and simply seeking to shake the mud off, keep in mind that all guidelines will be damaged. If in your soul you’ll be able to slay that one tremendous well-known monologue, that’s extra necessary than killing your self attempting to decide on the “good” piece.
Know The right way to Learn Shakespearean Sides
Realizing how you can method sides, each given upfront and encountered throughout chilly reads, may give you a big leg up. After all, when you’ve got time, scanning iambic pentameter and evaluating the Folger to the folio can present perception and discovery.
Nevertheless, should you’re coping with a quick turnaround or a chilly learn, have your methods in place to compress the method. Learn it as soon as by means of to get the move and common concept of it, then circle any phrases or references you don’t know and look these up. It can make a distinction should you perceive each phrase you’re saying versus getting the overall gist.
Punctuation is a big indicator of tempo and form in Shakespeare. Any full stops (durations, exclamation factors, even questions) needs to be honored. Use these as your beat shifts and observe the shift in thought, tone, and tactic. Don’t neglect to use all of your regular instruments: preventing to your goal remains to be extra necessary than portray with flowery textual content.
Put it within the Bard’s Textual content
One other nice technique to remember is to place it within the textual content. Versus, say, Chekov, who lives and breathes subtext, Shakespeare is usually saying precisely what his characters imply.
If they are saying “This hair I tear is mine,” (King John, Act 3 Scene 4) they aren’t talking metaphorically. That character has been in such misery that hair has been torn from her head. Honoring the complete breadth of the stakes and retaining the majority of your ideas and discoveries on the textual content versus between the traces will go a great distance in the direction of retaining your efficiency lively and sincere.
Discover the Enjoyable
Shakespeare is enjoyable! His performs are as irreverent, soiled and goofy as they’re poignant and tragic. Discover and uplift what feels actual, private and thrilling.
These performs have been carried out for 400 years. Fairly than discovering that confining, I feel there could be a sense of freedom in that. Likelihood is, no matter decisions you’re agonizing over have been made many occasions earlier than, and worth has been present in a number of interpretations. So discover the one which speaks to you, and go in with confidence.
This text initially appeared on Casting Networks.
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Written by Rachel Frawley
