Classical Text

Note from the Judge:
Pleasingly performed character with consideration of the heightened nature of Coward's language which is reflected in both the vocal and physical choices. There is clarity and precision within the text Ruth, nicely interpreted and played with commitment. Well done.

Note from the Judge:
This piece starts very strongly Nicole, and is at its best when it is contained. There is a clear understanding of the text and the underpinning of who Antigone is and what she wants within this scene. You have succeeded in creating some truly powerful moments in this monologue.

This is a physically strong interpretation of this monologue Lara with some bold and joyous moments. There were a couple of sections, where you could have slowed down and really exploited some of that beautiful language, but that is me wanting you to match your attention to physical detail vocally. However, there is so much pleasure in this performance I thoroughly enjoyed watching it and you captured the mischief of Puck well.

Note from the Judge:
A clear and confident interpretation of this complicated monologue. The vocal delivery particularly stands out, it is well paced, truthful with a flow that communicates clearly a student who understands the circumstances of the character in this moment.

Note from the Judge:
Good comprehension and communication of this famous monologue, with superb vocal and physical energy. There are some brave choices here with some evocative vocal interpretation.

Note from the Judge:
A brave choice of monologue Christina and I thought there were moments of real flow and clarity in the language. I particularly enjoyed when you held the space and listened to those you were talking to, in this section you captured the character of Shylock well.

Note from the Judge:
There is nothing more epic than tackling Julius Caesar so congratulations on your bravery and commitment. For me, it would have been good to see what you could have produced if you were more familiar with the text. I don't think that I got to see what you are fully capable of. There are glimpses particularly at the beginning, but it's a tricky text to read and communicate.

Note from the Judge:
A committed interpretation of a tricky text Cici. There are some lovely moments when you really capture the dilemma of Marjorie, and where you find the Restoration style in your performance. I thought this monologue was at its strongest when you were contained and contemplative, make sure that your movement always springs from what you are saying. Sometimes stillness can be equally powerful.

Note from the Judge:
Really expressive monologue Aya, there are some lovely well-communicated moments here. Your instincts are good and with more rehearsal I would be interested in how you would develop the physical side to your characterisation. Thank you for sharing your work, you show such promise as a performer.

Note from the Judge:
This was a nicely articulated version of Emilia, and you communicated the language clearly. It was obvious that you had rehearsed this scene many times, but my advice would be to find the flow of thought and really connect the text to any physical or vocal choices you make. Finding physical and vocal truth within the language of Shakespeare is very tricky, but you had real moments of honesty which I loved. Thank you for sharing your work Amelia.

Note from the Judge:
What a fantastic choice of monologue Jeanette. It was committed, brave and you fully embodied the character with a clear understanding of the text. Make sure that the emotion comes out of the text, as sometimes this emotion can mask meaning and clarity of intention. I thought that Lorca's imagery and poetry shone through and the ending was beautifully done.

Note from the Judge:
This was a brave monologue Iman which you embodied with awareness and intelligence. You created a clandestine atmosphere and thoroughly captured the menace and desperation of Krogstad with every aspect of your characterisation. Well done.

Note from the Judge:
Lovely flow of thought into action, nicely staged, well paced with a light and engaging energy. A truthful interpretation with a pleasing sense of what has gone before and what will come afterwards. A skilfully worked performance Bella, well done.

Note from the Judge:
A good top to toe performance Max and you really considered the context for this monologue. You made bold physical and vocal choices with a clear understanding of the dilemma of the character. If I was giving you advice, it would be to exploit the status of the man you are talking to - the juxtaposition of Creon and the plainspeaking guard who fears for his life has lots of potential for comedy gold. But, I thoroughly enjoyed your work and thought the energy and lightness you brought to the role was particularly impressive. Well done.

Note from the Judge:
A thoughtful interpretation of this very famous speech Isidore. I particularly enjoyed the integration of idea into physicality, breath and speech. Your gestural work was beautifully subtle and appropriate, and it felt as if we the audience were witnessing his inner most private thoughts. If I have one note it is to experiment with shifting up your vocal and physical energy, but that will come with confidence and experience. It is rare for an actor of your age to be able to capture such honesty and humanity.

Note from the Judge:
This Titania is embodied beautifully, she IS a Queen to be reckoned with. A brave, committed and powerful performance Princess, with moments of vocal excellence. You can afford to be bold with your vocal choices and bring that energy right down to almost a whisper, because in the moments that you did that you captured a wonderful quality in the character. Power comes in many forms. Here are a couple of handy tips to keep in mind when you are performing: when speaking text - especially Shakespeare - don't break the lines up, obey the writer's punctuation and you will find a natural rhythm and momentum in the speech. Because you are a good actress and I think you will accept this little note, I would like you (in your future work) to keep your energy up (both physically and vocally) to the end of the line. You start so strongly and then tail off or drop your gestures, find the breath to take you all the way through. It all goes back to the punctuation. It will help you drive through the line, find the thought and keep your performance truthful to the full stop. Well done, an impressive piece.

Note from the Judge:
This is a committed interpretation of the role Yunus and you have captured the character's frustration at the relationship that he has with his mother very well. The section where you come to standing - at about a minute in - is particularly strong. You conveyed the thoughts of Treplev so effectively here, there was momentum in the language and connectivity between the text, body and voice. This was especially evident in your gestural language, which was pitched perfectly. Well done.

Note from the Judge:
The commitment and courage of your performance is what stands out Clara. It is thoroughly considered and the moments where you find a connection between breath, voice and body are excellent. Within this monologue there are fragments of prior interactions with her husband and I would encourage you to experiment with finding bolder shifts in tone, pitch and rhythm. From your introduction, you have a naturally warm chest voice and if you can exploit that in this scene then your Lady Macbeth will hold power and juxtapose the distress beautifully. Thank you for sharing such a brave interpretation, you did a great job.

Note from the Judge:
This is a difficult monologue to tackle Avani and your commitment to the role was impressive. Your comprehension of the text, consideration of how to enter the space, use of song and gesture were the kind of details I like to see in the work of actors. I particularly enjoyed the bold vocal and physical shifts you found in this monologue. If I was to make any suggestion it would be to find more moments of stillness and quietness amongst it all - but that is being very picky. This was a well realised interpretation of Ophelia and you should be proud, there was bravery in every aspect of the work and I want you to know that it paid off.

Note from the Judge:
Your use of the camera here Sanchaya was excellently innovative. This was a well-rehearsed and well-interpreted version of Juliet. You found moments of tenderness and vulnerability counter balanced with Juliet's frustration at the situation. I wanted you to take your time a little more, as the sections where you let the thought lead the breath and voice were really very good. Well done to you.

Note from the Judge:
You conjured up a poised and deadly Lady Macbeth Emily. Your clear comprehension of the text, strong physicality, integrated breath and voice were impressive. You delivered this monologue with control, detail and bravery. It was formidable. Well done.

Note from the Judge:
I really enjoyed your monologue Keaira, your innovative use of the camera allows your audience to become Viola's confidante and it worked magnificently. You understood the situation and text very well and communicated it with vocal and physical confidence. There was a refreshing honesty and lack of pretence in your interpretation which enabled your natural vocal quality to shine through - there is richness in your tone which totally serves the character of Viola. A compelling performance Keaira, well done to you.

Note from the Judge:
A delightful interpretation Maddie and you have succeeded in making this 17th Century piece of writing feel modern. When you are working with text do take notice of the writer's punctuation as this will help you to find a natural rhythm for this character. Overall, I thought this was a well-considered, staged and presented monologue. Thank you.

Note from the Judge:
A well controlled and delivered monologue Ellie. There were some really nice moments of truth where you found an integration between the thought, the breath and the body. The conversational nature of the speech came through very well and I enjoyed the humour and lightness you found. Thank you for sharing your work.

Note from the Judge:
This is an excellent choice of monologue Yi Xuan and I thought that as it progressed your performance got stronger and stronger. Because of the heightened emotion and imagery in the language it is important to find space, breath and shifts in tone. When your young bride offers up her throat you found this and it is a point that really stood out to me. This was a moment of honesty where you connected the thought of the character to the breath to the voice and through the body. This integration is what we're after on stage and it was a pleasure to see it here. Thank you.

Note from the Judge:
This was a good choice of monologue Krystal and I enjoyed your consideration of how you began and ended your monologue - these details serve your piece well. I would have liked a little more clarity and exploitation of the imagery within your vocal storytelling, there is a gorgeous richness in the tone of your voice and you could have exploited that more. However, the manipulation of the scarf to convey Hecate and how this impacted your physical characterisation: rhythm, movement quality, gestures was a delight. Good work!

Note from the Judge:
I thoroughly enjoyed your interpretation of this monologue Munin. As it progresses your performance gets stronger and stronger as you find a flow of thought that feels honest and connected to your breath, voice and body. A Doll's House is one of my favourite plays and you capture beautifully Nora's realisation and frustration at the control the men in her life have had over her. This was very well done. Thank you for your work.

Note from the Judge:
You have harnessed Helena's bitterness here wonderfully Sophia. She bristles with frustration and injustice. Your vocal performance in particular carries this interpretation and the sections where you follow the thought through are the most effective. I would like to see you experiment more in rehearsal with how this monologue and text could be embodied, so that we can match the verbal detail visually. It's tricksy with Shakespeare to find and play with our physical characterisation, but this top to toe approach is something to be working towards. Well done and thank you for your work!

Note from the Judge:
This was a committed and powerful performance Thilini, and there is so much to commend in your capturing of the wronged and vengeful Medea. I imagined an ampitheatre full of Corinthians listening to Medea as she hatched her murderous plan. You found a good vocal range here, finding moments to confide with your audience - it is always a brave choice to bring the volume right down - this shows great skill and dexterity as an actor. As a general note look at where the writer has placed punctuation, this will help you find a flow of thought that can only enhance the work you are already doing. It will provide you with a natural rhythm, structure your breath and help you clarify intention and action. Other than that this was superbly done. Thank you.

Note from the Judge:
Fenella this was a physically brave and committed version of Medea. I thought that your comprehension of the text and Medea's hurt and frustration were pitched superbly. In particular it was your physicalication needs commendation, the animalisation - and the way you setup the camera - evoked a big cat that had been cornered. As a young actor I would recommend that within such an epic speech you find moments of vocal variation within the heightened emotion. Where are the thoughts spoken aloud? Where does she confide in the audience? When can you bring the volume right down to a whisper? These dynamic shifts can only add to the skill set that you are already ably demonstrating. Congratulations on a fine performance.

Note from the Judge:
I thoroughly enjoyed this interpretation of Mephistopheles Nivita. I imagined him lounging on a chez lounge looking harmless before pouncing on poor Faust. What is particularly impressive is your integration of thought - showing an excellent comprehension of the text - into your breath which allows a naturally rooted voice that is never forced. This was a connected and physically interesting performance. The shift of energy and attitude towards the end provided a delicious contrast to the opening. Well done to you. Great work.

Note from the Judge:
An epic choice of monologue Mariana and you committed to it completely. In moments you really captured Cleopatra's despair with a truthful integration of thought, breath and voice. I think there is room for you to experiment more with your physical portrayal - perhaps using animalisation - which would add depth and detail to your work. But overall a good interpretation of complex character.

Note from the Judge:
Kapil what a powerhouse of a performance! Hamlet is never a straightforward choice but you deftly tackled this monologue with passion and commitment. You clearly love acting - and are already making brave and brilliant choices - but I have a little tip that I would like to share with you: when you are learning and interpreting any text (particularly when speaking Shakespeare) really pay attention to the punctuation. It is there to help you identify each thought and will encourage you to find a breath that will integrate the idea into the body through the breath and into the voice. This will help you to avoid taking sharp (snatch) breaths which break up the flow of the unfolding idea. The moments I found most impressive in your monologue were when you had the courage to contain the emotion and take your voice to a place of vulnerability and containment. There is so much here to celebrate, thank you for your work.

Note from the Judge:
This was a wonderfully controlled and natural version of this monologue Johanne. The intimacy of performance you achieved was quite hypnotic and show's such skill and confidence to play it so honestly. If I have any advice it is to make sure that you take notice of the punctuation in the writing, this will assist you in finding a natural flow to each thought. This is useful for any text, but in Shakespeare it helps you to navigate all of those epic breaths you need to sustain the line. I was so impressed with your work, keep performing you have a natural instinct here which is rare to find in young actors. Thank you.

Note from the Judge:
An excellent choice of monologue Hannah and it always lifts my heart to see teenage women playing Antigone. I thought that this was a well-comprehended, committed and confident version of the monologue. Towards the very end you found a truth which conveyed beautifully the frustration and desperation of the character. As a young actor it is tricky to navigate emotionally charged text as every line seems as important as the next, but I would encourage you to experiment with where the emotion is contained and where you can take your vocality and physicality right down. Even as a rehearsal technique this will help you to create a wider tonal palette for the speech. What I loved was how much you clearly love performing and I want to thank you for sharing your interpretation. Well done.