Auditioning at ALRA

ALRA has a single audition process for all applicants regardless of course.

The audition will give us the opportunity to see what course is most suitable for your level of development.

We offer you feedback at the end of your day and discuss your options.

We offer you opportunities to talk to staff and students throughout the day.

We need you to:

  1. Prepare 2 audition monologues (see below) – each lasting no longer than 2 minutes
    1. One from a contemporary play (after 1970)
    2. One Shakespearean/Jacobean (but not non-human characters like ‘Puck’ from A Midsummer Night’s Dream or ‘Ariel’ from The Tempest, or any ‘Chorus’)

      Monologues

      Please make sure you have read the whole play your monologue comes from. Be sure your monologue works as a stand-alone speech and does not require input from another character. Your speech must be taken from an existing play, and not a book of solo speeches. (Speeches found in monologue anthologies are acceptable provided you have read the whole play from which they are taken.)

  2. Prepare a 30 second piece to camera, which tells us three interesting (non acting!) things about you. Examples can be found here and here.

We want you to: 

  • Choose pieces that match your age & gender.
  • Work without props or special costume. 
  • Avoid using chairs. 
  • Learn your pieces.
  • Avoid using the panel for eye line.
  • Use your natural accent.  
  • Wear suitable clothes which enable you to move freely and to allow tutors to assess posture and movement. Female applicants should avoid skirts. All applicants should avoid low cut/hipster trousers cropped and low cut tops. For both the warm up sessions we advise you to bring movement clothes (leotard and tights). The movement session requires you to be bare footed and to work without any jewellery.

We are looking for these qualities: 

  • Truth
  • Preparation 
  • Ability to create and sustain a character within an imagined world 
  • Evidence of thought and feeling behind the actions and words 
  • Ability to take direction (to hear an instruction and adapt own performance accordingly) 
  • Ability to communicate text 
  • Ability to express thought and feeling through movement and voice 
  • Self-confidence, focus and concentration 
  • Spontaneity and immediacy 
  • Openness and responsiveness to others 
  • Imagination and creativity 
  • Evidence of stamina and co-ordination 
  • An interest in the craft of acting and in the professional world of acting 

 

We aim to ensure that you will enjoy all aspects of the auditioning process and feel stretched by it.

You will have every opportunity to show your skills. 

Audition Format

9:15am Welcome You will be welcomed by a senior member of staff and introduced to student helpers. The day’s events are explained.

STAGE 1

9:30am

10.00am

Warm-up

Modern speech

You will take part in agroup warm-up to put you at your ease whilst warming up your voice and body.

You will present your modern speech with the rest of your group present.

11:00am Break
11:15am

Classical speech  You will present your classical speech solo to a member of staff.

12:15pm

Panel review applicants’ work. 

Successful candidates will go to Stage 2

You will have a break and can use the time to learn more about ALRA from the student helpers.

Applicants for the Three Year Acting course or Postgraduate Acting course will be told whether they have progressed to Stage 2; if not they will be offered brief feedback and have the opportunity to discuss whether a Foundation course is appropriate.

Applicants for the Foundation Acting course will be interviewed by the course director.

STAGE 2

1:15pm

Taking direction

Camera

Movement assessment 

If you reach Stage 2 you will:

  • Have your ability to take direction and adapt to changes assessed, as instructed by a member of ALRA staff.
  • Present a short scripted piece to camera.
  • Take part in a movement assessment.

2:45pm

Break

Panel review applicants’ work.

Successful candidates will go to Stage 3

 

After a break, you will be told whether you have progressed to Stage 3. If you are not selected for stage 3 you will be given some feedback and have the opportunity to discuss whether a Foundation course is appropriate. The Foundation Acting course Director may be available to meet you and discuss your options; if not a senior member of staff will discuss these with you.

STAGE 3

 3:00pm

Interview

If you reach stage 3 you will be interviewed. This is informal and is to give us an idea about your personality and drive. We are also assessing your ability to undertake the training, your current level of knowledge of the industry, and whether your personality matches the ethos of training at ALRA.

During this time you will also present a piece to camera. This should be prepared (30 seconds, to camera, about you).

Once you have finished the interview you are free to go and should receive an email confirming the outcome within 2-3 weeks (this may be slightly longer depending on when your audition takes place in the year, at busy times this may take 3 weeks).

International Applications

ALRA understands the high costs involved for international students wishing to study in the UK who are required to attend an audition. We have a preliminary stage for international applicants which we hope will result in reduced costs for some of our overseas applicants.

We want you to:

  1. Prepare a 30 second piece to camera, which tells us three interesting (non acting!) things about you. Examples can be found here and here.
  2. Perform either your modern or classical, as described above, to camera. Examples can be found here and here.

Both pieces must be recorded and postedto YouTube and a link supplied to the Registrar. Please do not e-mail them as attachments as the quality will not be sufficiently high to assess your work.

Your work will be assessed and if successful you will be invited to audition at ALRA in London or Wigan to complete the stages described in Audition Format above.