Lyn Gardner’s piece in the Guardian this week on how the Arts Council’s £11.6m budget cut would undoubtedly lead to “cancelled productions, job losses and boarded-up theatres” was a depressing read – one of many recent articles focusing on the Arts’ bleak prospects and its slow annihilation (despite endless reports that prove that West End productions generate millions for the British economy). However, in another part of the paper, it was refreshing to read Oliver Ford Davies’ theory that 50 years ago, parents used to say, “You must get a safe, secure job: why don’t you go into a bank?” Now there aren’t any safe, secure jobs so that argument has gone; parents say, “Why don’t you give acting a go?”
There is something cheering about the fact that the disastrous state of the economy has effectively levelled out the professional playing field. Every job has a high risk of redundancies, and uncertainty is the prevailing climate in the Square Mile as well as in the rehearsal room. Although the acting profession is infamously known for being fickle and unstable, entering into institutions that used to guarantee stable jobs is now just as precarious.
However, it would be foolhardy to suggest that aspiring actors can just throw themselves into the profession without proper vocational training. Although Rafe Spall recently commented that his failure to get into drama school was a boon – “I had three years’ advantage over everyone else at drama school – I was out there meeting casting directors and acting professionally.” – most aspiring actors don’t have the benefit of a well-respected actor as a father. The majority will rely on drama school show-cases to forge connections with agents and casting directors.
When asked how the Industry had changed over 20 years, Davies commented on how many more people have entered the profession. This is why coming to Audition Doctor is a must, as it has proven itself to be the essential stepping-stone to drama school. Proper training that comprises of voice, audition and movement technique will distinguish the serious professional from the person who is “giving acting a go.” Audition Doctor sessions alert drama school hopefuls on what they need to work on and audition speeches that highlight their natural abilities which inevitably lead to successful drama school auditions. Entering the acting profession is a gamble but going to Audition Doctor gives you the best possible chance of success and ensures that it is a risk worth taking.
