Drama School Applicants
My aim is to give each student, not only their best fighting chance to secure tenure, but to begin a better understanding of their own strengths and weaknesses and how to work with them.
How We Can Help: One To One Coaching for drama school
My One To One Coaching consists of an introductory meeting to discuss your needs and requirements and to work out a plan out a working strategy up to and until you get into drama school.
My success rate is very high and I take great pride in this; putting this down to my experience and understanding of what is required. The introductory meeting lasts for approximately one hour.
If you have any questions or would like some more information please contact me direct on any of the following:
Tel: 0207 357 8237
Email: Please click here
Testimonials
I am so, so grateful to Tilly for her support with my drama school auditions this year.
Having not attended an acting class regularly for some time, coaching sessions with Tilly were instrumental not just in getting me ready for auditions but in giving me space to take myself seriously as an actor and really enjoy the audition prep!
Tilly has an incredible knack for identifying your unique strengths as a performer and empowering you to choose the right speeches that play to those strengths, which is so crucial when auditioning for drama school. She meets you where you are in each session, whether you need a rigorous focus on actioning and intentions, an opportunity to play around and have fun with a new monologue, idea or character, or a welcoming, calm space to chat about and reflect on the process, and her feedback always hits the nail on the head to help you grow as a performer, not just in the context of audition prep but also more broadly.
What’s more, Tilly really invests in you as an individual – she was brilliant at personalising each session to fit what I needed, and was an incredible cheerleader throughout the audition process. With Tilly’s help, encouragement and willingness to work with me to push my audition material to be the best representation of me as a performer, I was able to enter my auditions feeling confident, prepared and excited to share my work and ended up with two offers.
I am so thankful for the huge part Tilly played in my getting an offer for LAMDA’s MFA Professional Acting, my dream course, and can’t wait to build on all I learnt from her when I start at LAMDA in a few weeks!
I first came to Tilly three years ago, in the midst of applications.
I came determined to get a place, but unable to shake my devastation of how close I had gotten the year prior, sat on the waitlist at Guildhall. She immediately understood my heartbreak and has been an unfathomable support ever since.
Tilly's honest approach to teaching is a breath of fresh air. Her passion is invigorating, and she knows exactly how to get your stench out of you and onto your work. Working consistently with Tilly from the start of my applications this year made me WISH I had done so the years prior. Her infamous actioning approach allowed me to develop a structure where my speeches were consistently solid, which ultimately gave me the freedom and confidence to be bold and "rise like a phoenix" in the audition room.
My drama school audition journey has been extremely frustrating at times, but Tilly's unwavering spirit has always been by my side. I think what makes Tilly particularly special, and why all these other testimonials rightly rave about her, is how much she cares.
Words fail to express how supported I feel by Tilly. Getting back up after rejections can be so difficult, but it sure is far easier when Tilly is there working her magic, helping you rediscover the heart of your speech and reminding you "If not you, then who?".
Over my time working with Tilly, she has not only been my mentor, but someone I have become extremely fond of. I know that without a doubt I would not be heading to LAMDA in September if it weren't for Tilly. If you are thinking about booking a lesson, JUST DO IT. It was the best decision I ever made.
After 5 years of unsuccessful attempts, thanks to Tilly I finally won a place at my dream school, Guildhall.
Tilly was exactly what I needed, holding me accountable to the bad habits that held me back from my authenticity as a performer. Her honesty is like a hot knife through the buttery bullshit of acting. But she is always compassionate, not once did I ever feel embarrassed, judged, or stupid. Another thing that sets Tilly apart is her ability to offer a path without imposing a specific method. Obviously she guides you with suggestions but sessions are based on your feelings, needs and intuitions on a day to day basis. Tilly deeply understands and respects the interconnectivity between the ‘self’ and the ‘actor’. As a result, not only have I grown as an actor, but also as a human being by confronting insecurities, addressing unhealed creative wounds and re-finding my self-belief.
Not only will you find an incredible coach in Tilly, but you will find a friend for life. I cannot express how much I would recommend working with her.
Before I first met Tilly, I had almost no confidence in my ability. I’d had a series of encounters with others who had lead me to believe I was never going to progress, and I was about ready to throw in the towel. But my first encounter with her was refreshingly honest, she did not tell me what I wanted to hear, but what she saw and heard, and immediately set me on a path that instilled confidence in me. Within three lessons with her, I had successfully passed the initial round of auditions, not only because of her teaching method, but because of the support I felt going into the room.
Tilly is totally invested in those she works with. She treats you like a professional, and arms you with a series of tools that help you not only through drama school auditions, but in the working world. She pushes you to take risks, be bold, dance out of your comfort zone, and stand by your choices as well as follow direction when required. Her living room is a safe space to play, and her support outside of it I still feel now. She is absolutely worth the investment, and does not waste time. She knew instantly what was holding me back, helped me push forward, and it is thanks to her that I am now in the graduate year of LAMDA.
I thank my lucky stars that Tilly was there to help me. She is a voice of sanity in this ever-changing industry, and I cannot wait to come back to her as a professional actor for her unwavering support and brilliant sense of humour. Thank you so much Tilly! X
When I first started working with Tilly, I’d almost given up on the possibility of going to drama school. After trying for a few years, and getting close but not getting in, I felt like maybe it was never going to happen for me, so I took a break from auditioning. However, at the end of 2019 I decided to give it another go, and enlisted Tilly’s help. From our first session, I could see why she had such a phenomenally successful track record with helping students get places at top schools; in just an hour, she was able to pinpoint the things that were holding me back, and the ways in which the pieces I’d chosen weren’t serving me. I found her honesty so refreshing; drama school auditions can feel so opaque, and I found it hard to tell what I was doing right or wrong until Tilly stepped in. Plus, when she did give me a compliment, I knew I’d done some good work!
Tilly’s methods are simple but so effective, allowing you to enter the audition room feeling empowered and deliver an authentic and in-the-moment performance. She provided me with so much support when I had a no, or when COVID happened and all my auditions moved online. Her belief in me spurred me on and was a constant reminder that I could actually do this. I worked with her over the course of two years, and after many final rounds I’m so delighted to have been offered a place on the BA Acting course at RADA, starting this September. There is no doubt in my mind that I could not have achieved this without Tilly’s hard work and faith in me. I’ll be forever grateful to her for that, and would recommend her to anyone in the midst of drama school auditions who needs some honest, invaluable help.
Before I started working with Tilly I had tried for drama school and finished the year without a single recall. As soon as I had my first session I realised how much I had needed her help, from the choosing of pieces that would both complement my strengths and challenge me to highlighting key issues I never realised I had. We worked together to create solid characters and monologues and throughout it all she was my biggest champion regardless of whether I got a rejection or a recall. She could always see what was wrong and would stretch me to test out new ideas and continue to grow as an actor and a person. While I’ll admit the first few sessions I was a bit of a nervous wreck who had always taken everything personally, her living room quickly became a safe space for me to play and try new things and (quite a lot of the time) have a good cry when I was struggling.
Since working with Tilly I gained final rounds, waitlist places, got into NYT and have been so thrilled to receive offers from Oxford School of Drama, Central and LAMDA this year. I am so excited to be starting my training at LAMDA this September and I can’t believe I will be attending my dream school, all down to the monologue work, character development and confidence pep talks that Tilly took me through. I know that I am going to gain so much from this training because Tilly has prepared me and given me a proper insight into what to expect.
Tilly is more than a teacher - she’s a mentor, a friend and an advocate who would always make me laugh and tell me to get a grip and I can’t wait to work with her after my training (and probably will be a welcome pit stop during training!). Whenever I meet someone who is attempting drama school auditions, my first response is always to recommend Tilly Blackwood!
It’s hard to put into words how fantastic Tilly has been to me over the past six months or so.
The drama school audition process can be long, elusive and gruelling, and following a couple of big rejections about halfway through, I came to see Tilly with next to no confidence. And it’s safe to say she immediately whipped my backside into gear! Her refreshingly honest, direct and generous approach not only helped me to breathe new life into my pieces, but also gave me the ability to walk into the audition room as the most authentic version of myself. For my remaining six auditions, I received five recalls, and now have offers to study at LAMDA, RWCMD and Mountview. I am so unbelievably grateful to Tilly as I wouldn’t have been able to achieve this without her.
Audition doctor? More like audition magician. I will be back to pay her a visit—I suggest you do the same!
I contacted Tilly after reading numerous compliments about her work. This was my fourth year auditioning for drama school and after getting so close last year, she immediately understood how much this year meant to me. We had three 1 hour sessions together and I cannot be more grateful for her honest, constructive, and positive attitude in her coaching. I am delighted to say that I have now been accepted to train at RADA on their 3 year acting BA course.
She helped me to understand from a panel’s perspective in terms of my speech choices and encouraged my own choices and instincts as opposed to forcing any decisions on me.
The questions she asks allow you to dive further into the work you have already prepared and will often focus on the objectives of the speech.
She creates a safe, comfortable environment that becomes a playground to explore in. Tilly also gave compliments about my work throughout the process which naturally boosted my confidence for upcoming auditions. She is filled with so many creative ideas and I always left our sessions with a whole load of other possibilities which I perhaps would never have thought of.
She is an absolute joy to work with and I would recommend Tilly to anyone who wishes to not only get into drama school, but who would like to find a coach that will understand you truly on a personal level and who will encourage your own quirks to allow the real ‘you’ to shine through.
This was my second year auditioning for drama schools. Last year I didn’t receive a single recall, and was feeling a little bit depleted. Working with Tilly, however, totally transformed my experience and I received 5 recalls and reached two final rounds during the process.
Tilly was incredibly helpful and excellent at tailoring the sessions to whatever it was I needed, whether that was intensive deconstruction of the meaning of a speech, lessons on how to avoid hitting every single pronoun, or emotional support. It’s clear she has an excellent understanding of the demands of acting and acting auditions, and I always felt safe in her hands. She was also never afraid to be completely honest, which I thought I would find hard, but actually, was always incredibly helpful and made vast improvement to my speeches. If you’re prepared to work hard, Tilly’s help is invaluable in getting you where you need to be and I’m delighted to be starting on the Central BA Acting course in October. Thank you, Tilly!
Tilly is an excellent coach. She is very direct and tries to get you to make daring but truthful choices with your pieces. I would recommend a session with Tilly whatever stage you are at in the audition process.
I visited for a session near the tail end of my auditions, I had three recall auditions left: Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Guildhall School of Music and Drama and LAMDA. Due to the new life that Tilly had helped to breathe into my pieces I received offers from both LAMDA and The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland on the 3 year BA Acting.
If you work with Tilly she will be very honest with you and ensure you have two cracking pieces for your drama school auditions. If you are applying for drama school you should most definitely give Tilly a visit and she will put you on the path to success.
What is so special about Tilly is in a world where everyone has opinions on your work, where family and friends will say you're amazing regardless of its quality, she will give you an opinion which is unbiased, unprejudiced and truthful.
This is so key, given that the only other time opinions of that kind are offered to you are from panelists at drama school auditions and more often than not feedback is unavailable. I have now got a place on the BA course at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and I honestly couldn't have done it without her guidance.
I arrived at Tilly’s after a year of countless rejections from my first year of applying to drama schools and instantly knew I had come to the right place.
She immediately debunked many of the ‘drama school myths’ I had heard during my auditions and installed into me how important my attitude, my monologues but most importantly the amount of hard work I would have to put in would be. After two years of work with Tilly, many recalls and a waiting list, I am starting in September to study at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and could not be happier. To put it simply Tilly was, and is, invaluable.
I would have never got into drama school without her and I could not recommend her enough.
Tilly was invaluable in helping me get my monologues for drama school up to scratch.
She is a highly experienced coach and was very patient and honest with me about my performances of the text. Tilly encouraged me to take more risks, be daring, and to stand out from the crowd in my interpretation of the characters I chose to play, and with her help, I managed to secure a place to train at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.
Thank you Tilly for all your hard work!
I was very privileged to have been able to find Tilly. Her presence, understanding and patience gave me not only the confidence I needed for my auditions, but confidence in myself.
Tilly creates an incredibly relaxed, yet focused, environment for her sessions, which gives you space to take risks without feeling embarrassed or insecure about your performance (which is something I struggled with before). She gives you direction that makes sense, but is also sharp and succinct in her deliverance (by which I mean, no beating around the bush – divine clarity at last…).
I had a few sessions with her in my first year of auditioning and it really helped with the process, (especially in the recall stages), and managed to gain a place on the Foundation course at LAMDA. I am now about to go into the first year of the Three Year Acting BA at LAMDA, and I can safely say that Tilly’s help and advice has stuck with me ever since our first session. So thank you Tilly, you’re a star.
I began seeing Tilly in my third year of auditioning for drama schools. After two years of recalls, final rounds and no offers I felt frustrated and confused, becoming more and more nervous and doubtful when it came to auditions.
However, after the first consultation with Tilly I immediately felt less anxious and more optimistic. She was entirely honest and very quickly helped me address the issues that were holding me back in auditions. From choosing speeches right up to advice on how to walk into the audition room, Tilly was forensic in her help. She pushed me to work harder than I ever have and helped me to take complete control of my auditions so that I no longer felt at the complete whim of a panel of strangers.
Tilly was not only helpful in the preparation for auditions but as I began to do the rounds she was an invaluable support and sounding board who I could go to in order to unpack a bad audition and celebrate a good one. It was ultimately her vital mixture of straight-talking honesty and empathetic understanding that helped me to exceed my progress of previous years and gain a place at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and LAMDA.
I will take her advice and lessons into further auditions and all of my future acting. I look forward to working with her again one day. Thank you Tilly.
Quite simply, I wouldn't have an offer from drama school if it weren't for Tilly. She peeled back my skull, scooped out my brain, reworked it, and reminded me who I was and why I need to be an actor. She got rid of the junk that was getting in the way of me successfully navigating the drama school audition process, and built my confidence and self-belief so that I felt grounded, calm and excited during the final auditions. Tilly is an expert in her field, and I left every single session knowing I had improved in some way. Warning though; be prepared to work hard, or go home.
It's still hard for me to believe how enjoyable my auditioning experience was this year in comparison to last year's.
Tilly truly took me on a journey. When I first started working with her, I was in tears after almost every session. I felt like I didn't know anything. As a matter of fact, I was anxious, clueless and far from ready to undertake an audition.
Following many sessions of intense work, not only was I ready to audition comfortably and confidently but I was also taking pleasure when showing my work. Tilly prepared me to all these things and unlike a lot of people being auditioned, I felt good and relaxed when entering a school to present what I had done.
Sometimes, I spent entire weeks working on my monologues every single day, in anticipation to next week's session, to make them perfect. One aspect that quickly became clear to me was that they were never going to be perfect. They were most certainly the best work I had ever done until now thanks to the guidance I had received from Tilly, but they were not and never would be perfect. Trust me when I tell you that is a blessing. Unlike last year when I quickly felt stuck, this year there was always room for improvement.
I know that if I had been accepted to drama school last year I would not have been prepared. Happy for a short while perhaps, but certainly not prepared. I grew as an actor but also as a person with Tilly's help.
It is hard to describe Tilly's impact without reiterating what most other people have said in these testimonials. So I'll say one phrase that Tilly said that stuck with me throughout all my auditions. “Remember what you are doing is incredibly brave – you are pursuing what you love and that is such a brave thing”. Tilly will teach you to be brave again (or for the first time ever) in the form of complete honesty about your work and immense hard work both on your own and with each other. It goes without saying that I owe all my work this year to Tilly – and I was lucky enough to receive two offers this year from drama schools, and will be starting at East 15 in September. Tilly is the tutor and mentor I needed both for my speeches, and my mentality going into the whole process.
Tilly has been nothing but brilliant, helping me with far more than just audition prep. She helped me find material that suited me well and didn’t settle for anything less! I can honestly say that I wouldn’t have done anywhere near as good in my auditions without her, and really got the best out of me. I would recommend Tilly to anyone looking to master an audition!
Tilly truly cares about her students and their ambitions. My experience working with Tilly was totally personalised to my individual needs, crucially by her asking at the beginning of each session specifically what I wanted to gain by the end of it.
Often I would doubt my own ability to meet the objectives we set together each lesson, but without fail, Tilly's understanding and empathy for her students coupled with her expertise and constant drive to get to the very root of what brings out the best in the individual for that specific character situation, ensures the objectives are always fulfilled by the end, and some.
You feel fantastic after a lesson with Tilly. I would walk back to the tube station unable to stop myself smiling like a crazy woman - totally filled with inspiration and a new confidence, and suddenly so excited to get home and work further on what we had explored.
Furthermore, the result of the work in the sessions has led me to gain a place at the Oxford School of Drama.
Drama school auditioning is an ever changing, emotional process, filled with endless surprise. The first two years of auditioning certainly fit that description. In my third year I decided to look for help and found the Audition Doctor website.
Together Tilly and I deciphered what had gone right and wrong in the years previous, found speeches that once and for all suited me, and worked to diminish my biggest pitfall: the fear of the audition itself. With Tilly’s help I finally saw past the ever terrifying ‘what if I don’t get in’. Once unencumbered by doubts Tilly helped my work become richer and I found my skills as an actor growing at the same speed they had in my foundation course at Guildhall.
Tilly is not only someone to help guide her students through the twists and turns of this process, but she does so with a sensitivity and remarkable awareness that comes from a tremendous wealth of knowledge and experience. More than that Tilly’s most inspiring trait as a teacher and coach is the incredible strength for which she cares and fights for each of her students to succeed.
I’m not surprised that working with Tilly has coincided with getting into the BA in acting at Mountview. I couldn’t recommend her more.
When I began working with Tilly I was at a loss as to what drama schools wanted to see from me and how I was ever going to beat the odds.
Tilly demystified the audition process and gave me the confidence to really own my performance and find a personal connection with the characters. She helped me to find speeches which highlighted my strengths and allowed me to perform naturally. Tilly not only works with you to produce fantastic work, she empowers you to be able let go of all your previous preparation and be responsive and spontaneous in the audition room.
Tilly always gives honest feedback (sometimes brutally honest), which is refreshing. Her direct approach combined with a great sense of humour made the sessions productive and incredibly enjoyable.
I have been offered places at Oxford School or Drama, the Royal Welsh College, and Guildhall. I start the 3 year acting course at Guildhall in September and am pinching myself daily. Tilly, I can’t thank you enough!
I have just been offered a place to train at Bristol Old Vic and this outcome is without a doubt a result of Tilly’s hard work and dedication. Tilly prepared me in every sense of the word for the process of auditions. Her rigorous coaching has totally transformed my acting ability and I can’t thank or recommend her enough! Tilly is a unique acting coach - you leave your sessions with exciting, empowering and true results. It’s been an absolute pleasure to have the opportunity to work with her.
I am so grateful for Tilly's coaching during my audition period. Tilly is someone who will give you that extra push as and when you need it, but what she's also fantastic at doing is tailoring her coaching to exactly what you need. For example, I'd come back from some auditions feeling drained, and lacking confidence and Tilly would help me fall back in love with my work. Other times, I'd come and the work would be over prepared and Tilly would motivate me to take more risks and be bolder and braver with my decisions. Tilly inspired me to go that extra step, which helped drive me to getting a place at LAMDA this year and getting shortlisted for two other schools. Thank you so much Tilly, you're the best.
Working with Tilly was an absolutely eye opening experience for me. She helped me to develop a vital understanding of my strengths as an actor, as well as identifying areas that challenged me more, and obstacles that were preventing me from working to my best ability.
She constantly encouraged me to go beyond my comfort zones, take risks and challenge my own preconceptions of myself as an actor; all with the spirit of discovery of both the text and myself as a person. Tilly's no-nonsense, direct, and completely honest approach means that you are never left in doubt when working on a piece.
Her notes, sometimes almost forensic in detail, are always accompanied by clear, technical and achievable ways to rectify a shortcoming; often completely transforming a piece. Whilst this may sound intimidating to some, it is always a pleasant experience thanks to Tilly's warm and charming personality and the supportive atmosphere she creates. Still, you can be sure that when you do get her seal of approval, the work is good and the compliment is well deserved!
I am excited to have been offered a place on RADA's BA acting course, and am immensely grateful for Tilly's continued support and wisdom and the vital role she played in my audition journey.
Tilly is, without doubt, a complete and utter godsend for anyone wanting to audition for drama school. She is the ultimate pillar of support in what can be an extremely scary and emotional process and I can honestly say that working with Tilly has been the best choice I have ever made professionally and personally.
Before I met Tilly I felt as though I had reached the largest brick wall - I had no idea how to navigate my way through the year and I felt at a complete and utter loss as to the pieces I should choose. Tilly helped me to identify my strengths and addressed the areas that were holding me back. I finally found pieces that I loved, and I mean really loved, and each session I was pushed and challenged to make the pieces my own. After working with Tilly I was able to walk into each audition room knowing that I was in complete control.
Tilly's support and advice doesn't end at the final session, she was a constant (and very much needed!) presence throughout my entire drama school audition journey and after each audition I always make sure to go and see Tilly for a quick chat (and often a much needed laugh!).
Tilly, I really cannot put into words how grateful I am that I had the opportunity to work with you. To anyone looking to audition for drama school I urge you try a session with Tilly, it will honestly be the best decision you will ever make. I start the 3 year BA Professional Acting Course at Bristol Old Vic in September.
Tilly was great to spend time with, she gave honest and incisive criticism, helping me identify and remove the obstacles causing me problems.
Tilly also gave very valuable advice in helping me select speeches which highlighted my strengths as an actor, something I had been struggling with. Our sessions gave me a safe place to experiment with my audition pieces, as well as time to talk through the difficulties I'd been having with the audition process.
I would like to thank Tilly for her all her help and genuine care, and for pointing me in the right direction. I will begin studying at the Drama Centre later this year.
After my first drama school auditions did not work out I started to look for someone who could help me understand what was going wrong. I had only one audition left for Guildhall and decided to go for a lesson with Tilly who trained at Guildhall herself.
I found her lessens very insightful, inspiring and personal, she immediately knew what was lacking and we chose new monologues to give my final attempt at getting into drama school a fresh approach. She knew what drama schools are looking for and gave me a lot of insight in the audition process.
She made sure I went for the first round with a good set of speeches and in the right frame of mind. Not only did I manage to get recalled to the second and third round..they offered me a place!
Going to Tilly was obviously the best choice I ever made and I would not have got in without her! Highly recommended!
I started working with Tilly last year, quite late on in my third year of auditioning for drama school. I had heard of the great work she had been doing and as soon as began working on my speeches I knew that I had come to the right person.
Tilly challenged me to think differently about my approach to monologues, to take risks and be bold without ever feeling intimidating - only ever acting out of genuine care as to how you would be on the day. Unfortunately, last year wasn't meant to be, but come September, with fresh eyes and even more determination, I went back to Tilly as a trusted guide, who continued to push me in a way that even a year ago I would have been too scared to attempt as she could see I had it in me.
After every audition I knew that Tilly would be there at the end of an email with continued support and advice and I couldn't have asked for anything more. When I eventually got offered a place on the BA Acting course at Drama Centre, Tilly was one of the first to know and her reaction was of as much joy as if I'd known her all my life. Her dedication and commitment to you as an individual is completely admirable and inspires confidence in you even when you are lacking in it yourself!
Without the guidance, support and advice at audition doctor, there is no way I'd feel confident enough to change a speech last minute, to volunteer first for everything at auditions or to rid myself of all inhibition in order to do my best. I can't say it enough but thank you, thank you, thank you Tilly!
Tilly was vital to me. She is direct, so supportive and knows just how far to push you.
My first session (I think it's fair to say) was not very good. I was on my third year of drama school auditions and I didn't know my own strengths or weaknesses and had got lost in my own personal fog. Tilly stripped this away and each week grew harder because Tilly expected more of me and pushed harder. She also pinpointed in the first 5 minutes of meeting one of the reasons I might not get in to drama school (my voice) and before my last final rounds arranged lovely Caroline to do some voice exercises which I did prior to my auditions and I believe ultimately helped secure my place.
The speeches you audition with are ones that you love, will have worked on for months, know upside down and inside out but most importantly you'll know them as people- as your girls. She was forensic in her work and gave me the tools I needed to work on each speech and these are things I'll never forget.
Tilly supports you quite tightly at first and I rechristened Tilly's sofa a couple of times... But when it works and Tilly's completely with you, I can guarantee you will leave flying! As the sessions go by she gradually starts to loosen off (without you realising) so that when you are stood alone in those audition rooms you feel completely confident because you have Tilly's scaffolding supporting you.
I remember during our first session watching in horror as Tilly's little beaded notebook was filled with page after page of notes. During one of our final sessions I nearly fell over when the page stayed blank and there were no notes! This shows that drama school auditions were definitely a team effort and Tilly was always eager to hear how they went and was there when I needed her with advice, a shakeup or encouragement!
I got to the final round of multiple drama schools (!) and got excepted in to one of the top 5 drama schools in the world! Of course Tilly was the first person I told and she was just as over the moon as I was! Tilly I can never Thank you enough!
Working with Tilly while trying to get into drama school was the best possible decision I could have made. She is forensic in her approach, totally direct and honest, and demanded I give nothing other than my very best. But she is also incredibly patient and her intimate knowledge of both drama school auditions and the wider acting profession were invaluable.
Her sessions were personalised and always felt like a safe space. I struggled with taking risks when we first started working together, but through her encouragement I eventually felt emboldened enough to take that leap, and it was only then that the auditions began to yield some positive results.
Her input was crucial in my speech selection - she knew what sort of speeches would emphasise my strengths, and with her help I found monologues that I genuinely loved performing. She could identify my weaknesses with incisive accuracy, and helped me to find imaginative ways of overcoming them – never spoon-feeding, but giving me the tools and challenging me to find answers to problems myself.
Before I started working with Tilly I would just throw hard work at the monologues in the hope that something would stick. She showed me the importance of focusing that hard work on only what was productive, giving me a new outlook on the technical side of acting and how to approach a speech. She was not only an acting coach, but also a constant presence of support whose words of wisdom were crucial in navigating the emotional minefield of drama school auditions.
After two years of working with her I have gained a place at ALRA, and I couldn't be more thrilled. I have no doubt that I wouldn't have achieved this without Tilly, and I can’t recommend her highly enough for anyone wanting to go to drama school.
Tilly Blackwood is the best weapon in your arsenal when you walk into that room to audition. I auditioned for Drama School without success and then I met Tilly.
Absolutely honest, Tilly tells it how it is and will work with you to create your own work, it is still your piece of work, your interpretation of the piece. Tilly will guide you through the process and give you the knowledge you always needed to succeed.
Mark my words you will be questioned and pushed to get the most out of you speeches. But you will feel absolutely prepared when you walk into the room.
Shakespeare becomes a part of your vocabulary and the freedom this gives you is such a confidence boost. It’s a fun, professional, enlightening and very rewarding learning curve. I’ve never felt so inspired or prepared for an audition in my life.
So much so, one year on I have had numerous recalls and been offered places on more than one recognised Drama School course. I owe this to Tilly.
My lessons with Tilly contained the most useful and comprehensive advice I have ever received.
She not only taught me the necessary methodology for creating an impressive monologue or performance, but changed my entire outlook, both in relation to my potential career and my practice as an actor. In addition to helping me get into drama school, Tilly instilled me with a diligence, essential for an acting career; a career that before I met her, I didn't really believe I could do.
I started working with Tilly when I graduated from university last year and thoroughly valued my time with her. Tilly is smart, direct and incredibly caring about her students. She will tell you exactly what she thinks, which is perhaps not always what you want to hear but will be more useful than anything you will get from anyone else. Tilly will make sure you have great speeches for your auditions and will also give incredibly helpful professional advice. I will be starting the Oxford School of Drama in September and am incredibly grateful to Tilly for helping me on my journey.
After being put through to the recall stage at Mountview, Tilly prepared me for my audition in only one session. Her honesty and expertise in what a panel is looking for is what really helped me to be completely focused and ready. Not only did I then get recalled to the final round, I was actually offered a place! After years of trying to get into drama school, I am so grateful for Tilly’s advice and support, and I can’t believe I am finally where I want to be. “
More Student Testimonials
Emma Corrin
I have worked with Tilly regularly for around 5 months. Throughout this period she has always offered honest, trustworthy and credible advice in relation to my audition speech choices and development. Tilly’s direction is challenging and demanding which enabled me to overcome obstacles in the text, in my delivery and physicality, so to really find the truth and core drama of the pieces. I would highly recommend frequent sessions over the whole audition season, as this kept my speeches focused and fresh, and I can clearly see how far I have progressed in my performances since our first meeting. I have been offered a place on the BA Acting course at Rose Bruford College and know that without Tilly’s critique, support and personal investment, I would not be in this position today. Thank you!
Ella Dunlop
Tilly has been wonderful over the whole process of applying for drama school. From the first session I felt at ease and comfortable to take risks and be completely honest. She helped to identify my strengths and weaknesses and how best to present myself at audition, always giving really specific feedback. More than anything she began to help me conquer my doubts and have belief in myself which we discovered was often my biggest problem! I am delighted to say I will be starting drama school this September and am hugely grateful to Tilly for her help in achieving this goal.
Jane Cottrell
Although I only visited Tilly for a one hour session, the experience was truly invaluable. Tilly helped me get to the essence of my character, and allowed me to understand not only what my character was saying, but the subtext beneath it all. I was able to portray real human emotions. I learnt to stop acting and start being. As a result of Audition Doctor, I am starting my Acting MA at East 15 in September. Thank you so much, Tilly!
Ainsleigh Ingle
Tilly is a wonderful teacher. Her approach is warm, honest, patient and incredibly supportive. I had always found auditioning terrifying, but after working with Tilly I felt like I could succeed and I did! I will soon be starting on the 1 year PgDip in Acting at Drama Studio London. I would never hesitate to recommend Tilly to anyone!
Laura McHugh
This last year I decided to finally take the gigantic step towards professional training as an actor. Over the course of the audition season, I auditioned at seven different schools. At first, I was overwhelmed with nerves, and later with sadness as the rejection emails kept coming. After about four auditions I decided to seek professional coaching and stumbled upon Tilly’s services through Audition Doctor. After two short sessions with Tilly I was able to find the problems with my audition pieces, and to find and expand upon my strengths while critically developing new and improved audition pieces. By the end of my first year of auditioning for some of the top drama schools in the UK, I managed to not only receive a call back, but was also placed on a waiting list for one of the schools’ Foundation courses. These are huge strides I have managed to take with the unique style of coaching offered by Tilly. In the future I will certainly be returning to Audition Doctor to make the call backs progress to acceptance letters!
Chandler Bullock
Working with Tilly provided a much stronger sense of structure to my audition preparation process. Then over the course of our lessons I gained confidence and became much more aware of my strengths and weaknesses. Also, Tilly offered much more than teaching techniques but was an amazingly supportive figure when nerves started affecting me. She is an amazing teacher and mentor.
As one newly arrived to the UK, I was in search of a coach who would not only be able aid me in preparation for theatre school auditions, but who would also be a working professional with real industry knowledge. In Tilly Blackwood, I found the perfect match. Tilly is without question the best audition coach I have had the privilege to work with. The positive environment of trust that she creates enables you to take chances as an artist and to not be afraid of failure. At the same time, she is able to push young actors to heights that they never before dreamt possible. One reason that Tilly is so effective as a coach, is that she takes the time and effort to discover what your individual needs are and to set achievable goals for your development as an artist. Working tirelessly to see that real progress is made, you feel confident and prepared to face any audition panel. Every young actor should be so lucky to work with Tilly Blackwood. With so many audition coaches out there, Tilly Blackwood is the genuine article.
Paul Bryant
I was lucky enough to have worked with the talented Tilly Blackwood before an important audition for the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Training with Tilly was an incredible experience. She is professional, passionate and inspiring. Tilly was easy to work with; she respected my creative decisions all the while guiding me in the right direction. She pushed my boundaries and challenged me. Her classes were held in a safe, peaceful and quiet environment, making our time focused and extremely beneficial. I have Tilly to thank for the success of the audition. It was such a pleasure to work with a teacher that really cared. Tilly changed my career and consequently my life, I know that she has the power to do the same for you.
Chelsea Macleod-Elliott
Tilly manages to strike the rare balance of being incredibly patient yet uncompromisingly demanding. This, combined with her generosity of spirit and good humour is an absolute necessity during the often strenuous process of applying to drama schools. She creates an informal and relaxed workspace which allows you to feel completely unselfconscious and free to experiment while simultaneously compelling you to justify why you have made certain decisions. Her rigorous attitude towards her teaching means that you never feel that you have taken the easy option as she draws your attention to the myriad of alternatives.Her extensive experience in theatre means that she expertly appraises your individual strengths and plays to them yet also alerts you to the inevitable bad habits that every untrained actor unknowingly assimilates. Her unceasing pursuit in trying to extract what she knows you are capable of sometimes culminates in, what she calls, “a break-through moment”. This is when all the advice she has given you, after weeks or perhaps even months, finally percolates and you do your speech in a way that surprises even yourself. You leave with the heady exhilaration of the high-five she’s just given you (these are administered sparingly and when you get one, you quite literally feel like top dog) and the progress that you’ve made. There lies her true brilliance- in getting you to believe that it was all you, when actually, there is absolutely no way you could have got there without her.
Bel Knight
Arguably the most important thing when working creatively with somebody is to feel comfortable in their presence and therefore be prepared top attempt things that may not be successful in order to eventually achieve the desired result. This is something that Tilly helped me with incredibly and I felt completely at ease from the first session we had. Her understanding of the text and audition process can help you cater the piece, not for yourself, but for the auditioner, and yet she understands that the interpretation must remain your own and so will not interfere too greatly in that sense so as to confuse the performer. I would highly recommend Tilly for help with any kind of auditions!
Mathew Seager
I have learnt so much from working with Tilly. Her creativity, enthusiasm and experience in the craft made our sessions truly enjoyable. I owe her many thanks for the work that we did together and the constructive creative guidance that she provided in the run up to my drama school auditions, which subsequently led to my getting a place. I loved working with Tilly and would highly recommend her to anyone looking to work with someone with invaluable experience, passion and knowledge of the industry.
When I started coaching with Audition Doctor I was in the process of making the huge step of coming back to acting following a long break, and, unsurprisingly, after all the years of allowing nay-saying and doubt to float around in my head, I was doing battle with significant low self-confidence as a performer.
It’s a privilege to work with Tilly, and I know that I carry with me a particular kind of inspiration and empowerment from her as I go on into my next steps.
Sophie Mansi
When rehearsing, she is specific and insightful, shaping not just the speech but paying attention also to voice, movement and even my own ‘ticks’ that we suffer from. After our first session of two hours, I felt we both could have done another two, and I have marked Tilly down as one of the best directors and coaches I have yet worked with. Thanks to Tilly, I am eagerly looking forward to my auditions and feel more confident than ever.
Sophie Linin
Tania Haq, Student
Rudy Hatipi, Student
Working with Tilly has been amazing. She has made me feel completely prepared for anything that may be thrown at me when auditioning for drama school.
She’s has really helped me to connect and progress with my audition speeches and get them to a level where I feel confident in auditions. Not only is she an incredibly talented actress and teacher, she is such a lovely and hilarious person making the classes just fly by!
Joanna Rosenfeld
If I had not met Tilly I believe that the outcome of my drama school auditions would have been extremely different.Her amazing enthusiasm and patience gave me the confidence and the ability to succeed. I would recommend Tilly to anybody; she has a great sense of humour and is a delight to work with. I would just like to express my deep appreciation as I couldn’t have done it without her.
Carly Barnes
From the first session to the final pre-audition calm-down phone call, Tilly’s care and attention is absolutely invaluable. Rehearsing for drama school auditions is a daunting process that can make you feel frighteningly alone; I couldn’t have done it without having her on hand to guide and coach. She has a remarkable ability to bring out the best in the performer, without ‘choreographing’ or over working anything. Her process is organic and collaborative; her direction is insightful and completely game-changing. However prepared you think you are, however sure you are about your ideas, I now can’t imagine approaching a speech without running it by Tilly first! There is always something new to think about, and the tiniest change can make the world of difference. She provides a safe and welcoming environment, and instantly makes you feel comfortable enough to try absolutely anything.Her good humour and patience are limitless, and I know I couldn’t have done it without her.
Alice Marshall
“Working with Tilly on auditions speeches was a huge relief and gave me a fresh perspective and confidence in exactly the right way. Her clear direction and feedback really gave me a clear idea of how I could improve my work and her positive approach helped me to relax and enjoy working on my audition speeches. In just a short amount of time I felt empowered to continue working on my pieces on my own, more confident in my own ability, at the same time as having some new approaches to the challenge. Tilly is always very specific with her comments, which enabled me to respond practically to her direction. She also listened to me as an individual, taking my own qualities and character and finding a way to express them, which meant the work we did felt natural and always within my reach. I’d recommend working with Tilly to anyone wanting to push themselves creatively, looking for practically useful feedback or needing to inject some confidence into their work.”
Nadia Babke
Jennifer Alleyne
Hana – www.hanaminett.co.uk
I arrived in London in september from Canada. My first language is french so I came to London to first practice my english in order to be able to get into drama school next year. When I started to look for a speeches the stress began. I didn’t know noting about how to choose the perfect speech, where to look, what to look for and I did not even want to think about preparing my monologue for such an important occasion. So I decided to look for an acting coach and I had the chance to find Tilly. After the first session, I knew I was in good hand. With her experience, her passion, her patience and her honesty we manage to get through this. Tilly is an extremely polyvalent person. She helped me in everything: to find the right pieces, to correct my voice and my pronunciation. Together we work step by step to build my audition speeches which I feel confident in now. Tilly tell you the true things. When something does not work she tells you. She prepares you to your audition in every single angles. And she as more than one technic to get you where you need to be as character. I could not ask a better person to help me in this huge preparation. Thank you for inspiring me more and moor each session and to transmit me you extraordinary knowledge.
Joséphine Campeau
I worked with Tilly when applying to various Drama Schools. Although I had plenty of audition experience in Musical Theatre, a straight acting audition was rather daunting. Tilly helped me prepare not only with the technical aspects of my audition but psychologically with this stressful audition process. Tilly’s lessons were a safe environment where I felt I could express myself creatively while being guided towards a more polished product. Tilly has a very honest and caring approach to her lessons and she has definitely given me the confidence to tackle my auditions with gusto.
Bethany Compson-Bradford
A great actor does not necessarily need to be a good teacher. It is the endless patience to listen to over repeated monologues, the ability to really care for your pupil even if he does not appeal to you and to be able to phrase the right feedback in an motivating way. Tilly has all of those requirements with one special ingredient added on top: an extreme good heartedness that has encouraged me to work even further and harder. I came to Tilly with a very ambitious aim and that was to get into a highly reputable drama school. The audition process is still on but so far I am have managed to get into every recall round. Without Tilly this would certainly not have been possible, as I just remember my very desperate and unsuccessful attempts last year. Tilly is able to combine her great acting experience with outstanding teaching abilities, where she focuses on specific problems one at the time. The greatest gift that I took away from her is that whenever I enter a stage now it is no longer the human doing but the human being. Tilly managed to get rid of most of my tics and to get the true person out of the pieces without applying any pressure. With her I felt relaxed, I felt I could be really honest whenever I did not really feel my character and somehow she got rid of my masks that I was wearing before. I can only recommend you to take an hour with her at whatever stage you are, because there is always room for improvements and she will challenge to go beyond average.
Sonja Zobel
I found Tilly whilst searching online for someone to help me with audition speeches for a variety of drama school. I couldn’t have asked for more. Tilly was so professional but friendly. She always made me feel comfortable and confident. Her coaching goes beyond simply the pieces you choose and she really does tailor your session to best benefit you. Tilly really cared about the right way of working for me. She has made the whole audition process much simpler and less draining. I felt that all the rubbish that can come with auditioning, all the things that at times make it such a hard experience , were completely thrown aside. I couldn’t have asked for more for my money and my time. It is the most worthwhile preparation anyone can do.
Kathryn Hopkinson
In preparation for my forthcoming auditions for Musical Theatre courses I asked Tilly to help me with the various monologues required. Tilly quickly understood the problems that I was having with the monologues and knew how to fix them. She is honest in her criticism and doesn’t mess about. I could tell she wanted to help and make my monologues the best they could be without telling me how to do each phrase and choreograph it. She was strong and motivational and I honestly always left the class feeling positive and prepared. When I came to do the auditions I felt confident and well prepared so that I have now been offered a place on the course that was my first choice.
Eleanor Smith
Before Tilly’s help I felt I’d hit a brick wall with my monologues, I lacked direction and energy. However I cannot give enough thanks to Tilly; with her passion, encouragement and patience I felt, even after one session like I finally had control of the speeches and most importantly had my confidence back.I really could not recommend Tilly highly enough. Her enthusiasm is infectious and really helps to get the best out of you. With her help and in depth knowledge of what drama school/audition panels want I felt prepared to face any audition panel and was offered a place with a reputable agency.
Grace Parry
I came to Tilly to help me prepare my audition speeches for drama school, after three sessions I not only felt confident in my speeches, but also in my ability to take these skills and apply them to any future performances. Additionally to providing extremely valuable direction and tips for script analysis, Tilly discussed my personal connections to the text, therefore making my speeches much more individual. Something that I would not have been able to do had I not found her a trustworthy and understanding individual. Tilly has a unique way of helping her students connect to the script and aiding them in order to give a truthful and personal performance. Not only that, but she provides a good deal of support and understanding towards those deciding to join the acting profession. Thanks to Tilly I have been offered a place at East 15 Acting School, something I most definitely would not have been able to achieve if it wasn’t for her support and coaching.
Jessica Strawson