Like job interviews, most of us are not keen on being examined. There is the fear of failure and the anxiety as you prepare. At this time of year, many theatre schools are holding auditions as they make decisions about casting in the likes of Matilda, Annie or Shrek.
Although they are scary, auditions are a good way to decide who does what because they put you under pressure. You can have a good day or a bad day, but if you deliver, it’s obvious and a sign you’ll be alright on the night. It’s also fair because the same rules apply to everyone.
Sometimes, young people and parents have unrealistic expectations. Some believe their children to be the greatest performers ever and will hear no other opinion. It’s sometimes tricky to negotiate these moments. Why do some people make such a big deal about the outcome, even threatening to leave if they don’t get the part they want?
Learning to live with an outcome you didn’t expect isn’t that bad. Let’s face it, few people in life get to have everything their way. It might be good to learn early on that this is how the world works. Get used to it and move on.
When I was young, I auditioned for the National Youth Theatre. Quite possibly, I did the worst audition they had ever seen. I forgot my words, felt my cheeks burning, and wanted the ground to open up and swallow me. Luckily for me, the then director stopped me and made conversation instead. It was the conversation that got me in, not my acting skills.
Years later, I was on the other side of the fence, auditioning would-be drama students. Some of them were so nervous that they were shaking. I discovered few people like them, and those who seem lost and overwhelmed are often highly sensitive and proficient performers. On the other hand, those who deliver a mega audition performance can peak right there and never get any better. So the process doesn’t always reveal the right person for the part.
If you or your son or daughter is currently going through this, then you have my sympathy. What advice would I give? Choose material that says something to you, that you connect with. Think about how you could be memorable. After all, the people doing the auditions are seeing person after person. What is going to make you stand out? I used to say to students, why not start your speech lying on the floor looking at the ceiling. They would look at me as if I were mad, but think about it. It would establish a mood that might take the speech somewhere else. It would make you rethink how you speak the lines – anything that stops you speaking like a piece of wood, as I did.
It’s all in the thinking. What is it you are trying to say? And that’s as true of Matilda as it is of Hamlet.
