Audition Doctor News

Audition Doctor News

Making your Shakespeare Speech Exciting

Making your Shakespeare Speech Exciting

by Bel | Aug 26, 2015 | acting classes, acting classes london, audition classes, audition doctor, auditions, classes for acting, tilly blackwood

In this week’s Guardian, Christopher Eccleston warned against the waning opportunities for working-class actors. He described this disturbing phenomenon as contributing to a “culture that is resultantly bland”. Despite recognising the excluding nature of today’s...

Spontaneity and Preparation at Audition Doctor

Spontaneity and Preparation at Audition Doctor

by Bel | Aug 19, 2015 | acting classes, acting classes london, audition classes, audition doctor, auditions, classes for acting, tilly blackwood

This week, Lyn Gardner wrote of an experience she had at the Forest Fringe: “I had one of those moments in the theatre when it feels as if you have seen something that was made just for you. They don’t happen often, but when they do, it is as if the artist has...

Shaping your Career at Audition Doctor

Shaping your Career at Audition Doctor

by Bel | Aug 12, 2015 | acting classes, acting classes london, audition classes, audition doctor, auditions, classes for acting, tilly blackwood

In an interview for BAFTA, Imelda Staunton spoke of the importance, for her, of being able to fail on the job after drama school. Repertory theatre afforded her the opportunity to continue to mould herself into the kind of actor she wanted to be. “I remember thinking...

Grasping the Mechanics of Your Character at Audition Doctor

Grasping the Mechanics of Your Character at Audition Doctor

by Bel | Aug 5, 2015 | acting classes, acting classes london, audition classes, audition doctor, auditions, classes for acting, tilly blackwood

Last week, the Independent featured an article about Benedict Cumberbatch’s upcoming Barbican production of Hamlet. While it acknowledged that “Hamlet stands at the pinnacle of the actor's art for its emotional and intellectual range”, it focused largely on the 1,480...

Being Honest and Watchable at Audition Doctor

Being Honest and Watchable at Audition Doctor

by Bel | Jul 29, 2015 | acting classes, acting classes london, audition classes, audition doctor, auditions, classes for acting, tilly blackwood

In the Guardian, actors Rory Kinnear and Anthony Sher discussed their different approaches to playing Iago. Kinnear commented: “Nick Hytner’s first instinct was always to steer away from racism and examine that jealousy” while Sher decided from the outset: “We...

Finding Your Centre at Audition Doctor

Finding Your Centre at Audition Doctor

by Bel | Jul 22, 2015 | acting classes, acting classes london, audition classes, audition doctor, auditions, classes for acting

Speaking of the importance of acting training, Hugh Jackman has said that his experience of drama school was a lesson in “being awake”. He credited his training with giving him the abilities of “being present” and “the importance of listening” - tired stock phrases...

Strengthening Your Gut and Critical Faculties at Audition Doctor

Strengthening Your Gut and Critical Faculties at Audition Doctor

by Bel | Jul 15, 2015 | acting classes, acting classes london, audition classes, audition doctor, auditions, classes for acting, tilly blackwood

When Phillip Seymour Hoffman was asked at in interview at the Golden Globe Awards what advice he would give to those starting out in the acting profession, he said: “You have to act wherever you can, you can’t be picky. Wherever you get a chance to act - and it...

Striving for Greatness at Audition Doctor

Striving for Greatness at Audition Doctor

by Bel | Jul 9, 2015 | acting classes, acting classes london, audition classes, audition doctor, auditions, classes for acting

Richard Jordon wrote in The Stage of the difference between good and great acting in The Stage, citing Imelda Staunton’s performance as Mama Rose as an example. “When you see great actors at work, you realise it is in the little touches they instinctively find in...

Artistic Freedom and Preparation at Audition Doctor

Artistic Freedom and Preparation at Audition Doctor

by Bel | Jun 30, 2015 | acting classes, acting classes london, audition classes, audition doctor, auditions, classes for acting, tilly blackwood

In an interview for Film 4, Tom Hiddleston said: “I call acting 3D anthropology or archeology; in the way that you’re out there digging away at the mine shafts of the collective emotions of human beings - in the present and the past. Actors have to bring back their...

Thinking on the Line at Audition Doctor

Thinking on the Line at Audition Doctor

by Bel | Jun 23, 2015 | acting classes, acting classes london, audition classes, audition doctor, auditions, tilly blackwood

In an interview, Jack Lemon spoke of his experience working on Glengarry Glen Ross and working with David Mamet’s text: “We had about two and half weeks rehearsal…if we had not had it, we would’ve all been fish that were drowning. As great a writer as Mamet is, I...

Originality and Failure at Audition Doctor

Originality and Failure at Audition Doctor

by Bel | Jun 16, 2015 | acting classes, acting classes london, audition classes, audition doctor, auditions, classes for acting, tilly blackwood

In The Stage, Judi Dench spoke about her constant “fear of everything” as an actor - fear “ of not fitting into that slot, of not fulfilling that piece you are asked to do. I get more frightened [the more I do]. The more you do, the more frightening it is anyway as...

Strengthening Your Instincts at Audition Doctor

Strengthening Your Instincts at Audition Doctor

by Bel | Jun 9, 2015 | acting classes, acting classes london, audition classes, audition doctor, auditions, classes for acting, tilly blackwood

In an article for Ideastap, Caroline Leslie, Head of Acting at LAMDA, advised those auditioning to “really get inside the mind of your character – think about what they hide and show of themselves, and how they think other people think about them.” “Choose a piece and...

Going Beyond Your Parameters at Audition Doctor

Going Beyond Your Parameters at Audition Doctor

by Bel | Jun 3, 2015 | acting classes, acting classes london, audition classes, audition doctor, auditions, classes for acting, tilly blackwood

The Stage asked Maria Friedman to give advice on auditioning: “Preparation, preparation, preparation. Bring yourself, not someone else, to every audition- you can’t hide you, so get to know yourself and what it is you have to offer; and know that is your three minutes...

Simplifying Your Performance at Audition Doctor

Simplifying Your Performance at Audition Doctor

by Bel | May 27, 2015 | acting classes, acting classes london, audition classes, audition doctor, auditions, classes for acting, tilly blackwood

In an interview...

Your Individual Process at Audition Doctor

Your Individual Process at Audition Doctor

by Bel | May 20, 2015 | acting classes, acting classes london, audition classes, audition doctor, auditions, classes for acting, tilly blackwood

In his new book, Year of the Fat Knight, Anthony Sher recounts his experience playing Falstaff in the RSC’s production of Henry IV. In an extract printed in the Guardian, Sher wrote: “To an actor, dialogue is like food. You hold it in your mouth, you taste it. If it’s...

Embracing Risk at Audition Doctor

Embracing Risk at Audition Doctor

by Bel | May 13, 2015 | acting classes, acting classes london, audition classes, audition doctor, auditions, tilly blackwood

Following the General Election, much has been written about the fears of playing it safe with regards to programming in an age of belt-tightening and budget cuts. There seems to be a retaliation by many theatres to the idea that another five years of diminishing...

Making the Profession Accessible at Audition Doctor

Making the Profession Accessible at Audition Doctor

by Bel | May 6, 2015 | acting classes, acting classes london, audition classes, audition doctor, auditions, classes for acting, tilly blackwood

Prominent actors such as Julie Walters and Mark Strong have publicly protested the inaccessibility of drama school for those from under-privileged backgrounds. They frequently cite the £9,000 yearly fee as being a prohibitive barrier to pursuing an acting career. The...

Creating Your Own Work at Audition Doctor

Creating Your Own Work at Audition Doctor

by Bel | May 2, 2015 | acting classes, acting classes london, audition classes, audition doctor, auditions, classes for acting, tilly blackwood

This week, The Stage wrote about how the concerted effort drama schools have made to encourage their actors to self-produce and self-create has paid dividends. “Traditionally drama schools focused on developing stage skills and getting paid jobs in theatres at the...

Avoiding Conservatism in Acting

Avoiding Conservatism in Acting

by Bel | Apr 24, 2015 | acting classes, acting classes london, audition classes, audition doctor, auditions, classes for acting

Sean Holmes, Artistic Director of the Lyric Hammersmith, was interviewed in The Stage and spoke about his attempt to radicalise and disquiet the traditional model of British theatre through Secret Theatre. It was based on a speech he made in 2013 when he stated that...

Deconstructing the Text at Audition Doctor

Deconstructing the Text at Audition Doctor

by Bel | Apr 15, 2015 | acting classes, acting classes london, audition classes, audition doctor, auditions, classes for acting

A recent interview with the cast members of the upcoming production of Mamet’s American Buffalo revealed the intensive and challenging nature of the rehearsal process. Director, Daniel Evans, and actors (John Goodman, Damien Lewis and Tom Sturridge) all admit that the...

Combatting Competition in the Industry at Audition Doctor

Combatting Competition in the Industry at Audition Doctor

by Bel | Apr 8, 2015 | acting classes, acting classes london, audition classes, audition doctor, auditions, classes for acting, tilly blackwood

The Times this week featured an article centred around the current crop of British male acting talent and the evolving face of theatre. Tim Piggot-Smith spoke of how “British theatre has been forced to become leaner, less complacent. “There’s not as much theatre...

Debate and Enquiry at Audition Doctor

Debate and Enquiry at Audition Doctor

by Bel | Apr 1, 2015 | acting classes, acting classes london, audition classes, audition doctor, auditions, classes for acting, tilly blackwood

Phoebe Waller-Bridge wrote in the Stage of the pressure young actors feel to unquestioningly take directors’ decisions as gospel. “For years, the gratitude I felt for anyone who had given me an actual job, coupled with the embarrassment of disagreeing with them,...

Distinguishing Yourself from the Other 3000 at Audition Doctor

Distinguishing Yourself from the Other 3000 at Audition Doctor

by Bel | Mar 25, 2015 | acting classes, acting classes london, audition classes, audition doctor, auditions, classes for acting

The Stage published an article this week stating that “Spotlight recently sent a memo to agents informing them that 1,700 new performers are to graduate from Drama UK and the Council for Dance Education and Training accredited schools this summer. This is a staggering...

Danger and Risk at Audition Doctor

Danger and Risk at Audition Doctor

by Bel | Mar 18, 2015 | acting classes, acting classes london, audition classes, audition doctor, auditions, tilly blackwood

In an interview for The Stage, Guildhall acting teacher Ken Rea spoke of the qualities that certain actors possessed that marked them out separately from the swathes of actors he has trained. “They’re unafraid of danger,” he says, mentioning Antony Sher with whom he...

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Author – Bel Knight

Bel Knight was part of the Lyric Hammersmith Writers’ Programme and has recently completed the Soho Writers’ Lab.

She is about to start the Writing for Stage and Media Broadcast course at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.