Modern

Note from the Judge:
A physically and vocally relaxed and flowing monologue. It was was well delivered, communicating the character clearly and I thoroughly enjoyed the verbal play you found in the final section. What a brave choice of monologue, you tackled it beautifully.

Note from the Judge:
This was a well communicated monologue Anjali, in the moments of stillness it had real power. When approaching a text in the future, look at the punctuation in the writing and it will help you find the flow of thought in the character. There was also a good use of your vocality in the piece with some delightful variation.

Note from the Judge:
What I really enjoyed about the performance was your ability to establish the scenario and atmosphere of the scene Phoenix. A committed performance of a very challenging extract, where you successfully created a believable character from start to finish. Your ability to convey such a wide emotional range was particularly impressive, with some nice integration of vocal and physical skills. Well done to you.

Note from the Judge:
The opening of this monologue was particularly strong Nuria, where you found an honesty which is rare in a young performer. I would like to encourage you to seek that honesty throughout the monologue, even when emotions within the text are heightened. Communicating the text truthfully with a fully integrated top to toe approach is something to keep working towards. I thought you conjured up the incident in the supermarket with Christopher very well and you played out the situation with consideration and commitment. There was so much to applaud within your interpretation.

Note from the Judge:
Dear Grace from Dulwich College, I cannot begin to tell you how much I loved your performance. I might run out of superlatives to explain how delighted I was with you. Here are my notes when watching your work for the first time: "I love this. Utterly impressive. Detailed, brave, truthful. Integration of thought into breath, physicality, vocality was extraordinary in such a young performer. The comprehension of the text and the communication of it to an audience was exceptional. Your vocality was connected and dexterous and always appropriate to what was being conveyed." To achieve this level of honesty in such a physically precise characterisation is rare in well-trained professional actors, let alone a young performer such as yourself. Thank you for your work. I genuinely clapped you at the end of it.

Note from the Judge:
This was a brave monologue to tackle Suresh. You found a beautiful energy for Cory and there were moments where you really captured the complex relationship between this father and son. I enjoyed the prodding and provoking elements of the text which you communicated well. If I had one recommendation for you as a young actor it would be to find more stillness in your work, any movement and gesture should come organically from what you are saying and what those words are doing. A top to toe approach to character is always tricky, but something worth considering. Thank you for your work.

Note from the Judge:
A really good choice of monologue and an opportunity to flex your acting muscles. There were moments in your performance Artash where you captured the truth of the character well, and often those were found in stillness. Trust that you don't have to force the emotion or move around in order to convey weightier subject matter. I would recommend finding specificity and detail in your physicalisation, to accompany your good comprehension, intelligence and commitment as an actor.

Note from the Judge:
A committed and brave performance Ka Dong, I thoroughly enjoyed the angle of the camera and how you used that to your advantage. There were some innovative moments where you epicly conjured up the situation well. Vocally there was a good variation of tone and rhythm and there was physical truth in sections which was well considered. I would have liked a little more differentiation between the asides to the audience (camera) and more flow in the dialogue, but this was a thoroughly enjoyable watch. You did a great job with it.

Note from the Judge:
A good choice of monologue Arren and there were moments of real truth here. I think that there could have been more variety in your vocality and with more rehearsal you could explore and develop a more detailed physicality for Ajay. However, I thought that you captured the defiance of this character well and there are lots of positives for you to build on here.

Note from the Judge:
What a little powerhouse of a performer you are Izzy, I really enjoyed your committed and brave approach to the text. You captured the stressful dilemma that Tracy finds herself in and communicated your role clearly. Well done a thoroughly enjoyable watch.

Note from the Judge:
This was an utterly committed performance Julia and I thought that you understood and communicated well the grief and anger of Izzy. Be careful that when playing emotion that it does not mask the truth or meaning of the text, this is a difficult balancing act. As an actor you have really good instincts, and the beginning of the piece in particular was a good reflection of this. Thank you.

Note from the Judge:
This was a confidently performed monologue Kai Qi and the comprehension and context of your piece was clearly communicated. You found some flow in the dialogue which integrated your vocal and physical work nicely and I enjoyed your interpretation very much. As a side note, make sure that you consider your character from top to toe - my eyes were drawn to your dancer-like pointed toes when you walked - I wasn't convinced that was a conscious choice for the Doctor. I was particularly impressed with the opening of your piece, well done to you.

Note from the Judge:
I enjoyed the relaxed and conversational delivery here Madeleine which worked really well at the beginning of this monologue. My advice would be to return to the text and observe the punctuation of the sentences, the writer is giving you clues as an actor that will help you define the flow of thoughts and offer up a clear vocal rhythm for your character. This will enable you to find a natural energy and momentum from the original text, which will help keep the work dynamically interesting. There are lots of good things in your work Madeleine and the honest voice you found in performance is rare in a young actor.

Note from the Judge:
I thought this was an assured performance Prim, you delivered your lines with clarity, confidence and communicated the frustration of Judy beautifully. Your conversational start was particularly impressive and this honesty and truth in vocality is something to keep hold of throughout your work. In the future, I would encourage you to spend some time exploring the physical language of your character in more detail - use of space, movement, posture, gesture, gait, rhythm, tension, relaxation - this is particularly useful if the role you are playing is not the same age as you. As a young performer this detail, rigour and top to toe approach will set you apart from other actors. Good luck and well done!

Note from the Judge:
This was an honest and well judged performance. The comprehension of the writing and the skill to transfer that into something so delicate and real was impressive. It was an intuitive performance and to watch an actor truly listening within a monologue is a rare treat. Well done, I thought this was a hopeful and delicate piece.

Note from the Judge:
I really enjoyed your portrayal of Moira, and there was much to praise in both your physical and vocal interpretation Juliet. You are an instinctive and honest performer and I thought that your vocal and physical choices were beautifully made. With a little more rehearsal and repetition I think you would have found a more natural flow to this monologue. But overall it was a joy to watch, you have so much promise as a young actor. Thank you for your work.

Note from the Judge:
This was excellently done Maria. The innovative and brave use of the camera brings the audience right into the scene. This was an instinctive, vocally honest and connected performance, just beautifully aware and well-judged. What most impressed me was that at no point did you allow the emotion of the character to mask the meaning - which is rare in a young actor. Sensitively and deftly done. Congratulations.

Note from the Judge:
The opening of this monologue Vinesha was really strong and you grabbed my attention with your energy and commitment. I thought that you captured beautifully the essence of this young woman experimenting with her independence. I would have liked you to be a bit more specific and precise in your physical characterisation, but that is being super picky. Your storytelling was clear and I thought that you were vocally strong with a good range of expression and tone. Overall you did a great job.

Note from the Judge:
Oh Stevie you are such a naturally gifted comedic performer, what a treat it was to see your work. Thank you. You have truly embodied the character of Jill, and there are some real moments of honesty here starting with the thought, expressed through the body, breath and voice. If I had one bit of advice it would be to rehearse this so much that when you came to perform it you were able to steer that text in whatever way you chose. There are times when I can see your brain working as you are recalling the next chunk. This performers instinct, this liveness that you have is not something that everyone can do. It's like a special power. But in order to harness it you have to be fully in charge of the material. Be rigorous with your approach and keep surfing 'on' the moment it's a joy to watch. Well done you.

Note from the Judge:
This is a really good choice of monologue Charlotte and you clearly knew the text inside and out. There is a conversational quality to the language which you conveyed well and you conjured up the story expertly. If I was to offer you any advice it would be to experiment a little more with your physicality and look at how small shifts of the body and a development of a gestural language can add detail and richness to the overall characterisation.

Note from the Judge:
This was a well-rehearsed and interpreted monologue Zhi. There was a clarity in both your vocal and physical characterisation, and a conversational tone which is deceptively tricky to achieve. I thoroughly enjoyed your performance and thought that you captured the dark humour and storytelling ably. Your awareness and complicite with the audience was impressive and I always felt like we were in safe hands. Well done.

Note from the Judge:
This was a great choice of monologue Lucy and I thought that you tackled it beautifully. The moments of panic and desperation were particularly well played, as you never forced the emotion and rooted each physical and vocal decision in truth - this is not easy to do. I would have liked some more attention paid to the physicality of the character: tempo rhythm, movement quality, status, gestural language. This kind of detail creates a top to toe performance which is thrilling to watch. Thank you for your work!

Note from the Judge:
What a challenging monologue to perform Eleanor, congratulations on so deftly bringing this text to life. You captured the vulnerability of your character beautifully, and the confessional tone employed is not easy to pull off, but you did. I was particularly drawn to the detail of your physicalisation, which matched your vocality every step of the way. Often young actors can find a truth in their vocal performance but not quite equate that physically, but you did. A totally integrated performance. Harrowing and honest. Well done.

Note from the Judge:
A committed and intelligent interpretation of the text Trisha. You capture the awkwardness and control of this character so brilliantly and it maintains its honesty throughout. There are many young actors who would push the emotion here,and tip the text into a more performative style but you contain and create something truthful and well-considered. Thank you.

Note from the Judge:
The confessional nature of this monologue was very well executed Amy. Vocally and physically you deftly navigated your way through some tricky material without pushing the emotion. Each thought was followed through and this created a natural flow and rhythm to the piece. The writing is brutally honest and your lightness of touch created space for the character to shine through. Excellent work.

Note from the Judge:
This was a good choice of monologue Ariff, and your interpretation was brave and committed. I thought that the further in you got the stronger it became as you found a more natural flow and rhythm to the text. There were moments towards the end where you really harnessed the frustration of the son and your vocal and physical choices were integrated and honest. I thoroughly enjoyed watching your performance, thank you for sharing your work. Well done.

Note from the Judge:
You tackled this monologue superbly Arissa. You achieved the holy grail in acting which is an honest performance of the text and an integration of body, breath and voice. This comes with an intelligent understanding of the character and an intuition that you cannot teach. The flow of recollection, the thought to thought clarity, the build of tension and frustration was skilfully navigated. Not once did your performance feel forced or 'acted' and this is a rare thing in a young actor. Well done. It was a pleasure to watch.

Note from the Judge:
This is such a good choice of monologue Thirah, the Maniac is a great character to play about with both physically and vocally. I loved how this monologue started with the 30 seconds of non-verbal telephone business - this sets the character up beautifully and if anything I wanted the same rhythm you established here to be reflected in the dialogue. Playing a character who is perceived as 'mad' is always a tricky one to navigate - particularly for a young actor - because we associate madness and mania with speed. However, with speed we can lose the clarity of the language and it is harder to decipher what is happening and why. My suggestion with this is to take your time, if you can find stillness and control within this character we can comprehend how dangerous he is. Overall, you did a fine job and I really liked the brave choices you made in your interpretation.

Note from the Judge:
I enjoyed your interpretation of this monologue Luvelle. You vividly captured a woman on the edge - vocally and physically - and managed to create an atmosphere where we might conceivably witness her have a breakdown at any moment. I thought that there was humour and tragedy here and your comprehension of the text and of the character was good. Thank you for your work.

Note from the Judge:
This play has some brilliant monologues and I'm delighted that you picked one to perform Tom. The relaxation in your performance style means that we as an audience are drawn in to what you are doing, but I would have liked this balanced out with a bit more 'showmanship'. The kind of anti-4th wall interaction this extract demands, requires a teflon-like confidence as a young actor, but I think that you could pull it off. I would encourage you to push at the edges of what you are comfy with on stage and seek out both physical and vocal precision and detail in your work. There are actors who cannot achieve the levels of calmness you naturally exude so if you can hold onto that too, you are going to be way ahead of the others. Well done.

Note from the Judge:
I think that you might have been submitted into the wrong category here Shubh, but it was good to have a Chekhov break in amongst the modern performances. I thought you tackled this tricky extract well, and there were moments of real truth and vulnerability. I would encourage you to check back in with the text and see where the punctuation is, this will help you track each thought and follow it through to the end of each sentence. Sometimes the text was broken up because you were playing the emotion rather than the line - by the way this is very common in young actors - but Chekhov will have helped you out so have a look at where he wanted you to take a breath. This will automatically help you find the action and natural momentum of the line. You are clearly a gifted actor, so this note will simply add to the detail and truth of your performance. Good work.

Note from the Judge:
This was a well-considered and delivered interpretation of this monologue Anna. You caught the adventurous spirit or Rosie alongside exposing her vulnerability, and these moments of uncertainty were wonderfully observed. Good work Anna.

Note from the Judge:
Sam this was a dynamic and innovative interpretation of Kai's monologue. You are clearly a strong physical performer - which is always exciting to watch - and there are very few young actors who would create something so physically brave. However, I would encourage you to harness this skill so that it serves the piece. The actor is there to bring the text to life and tell the story, so that must be at the centre of your choices both vocal and physical. The punctuation in the text will not only assist you in finding a flow of thought and meaning, but it can structure your physical choices too. The writing utilises strong imagery and this was an opportunity to push at the edges of your voice and body to bring those to life. As someone who demonstrates a bold approach to performance, finding detail and rigour in your work is the next step. That integration will make your work stand out even more. Well done.

Note from the Judge:
This was a committed performance Isha and you captured the fear of this young woman very well. Make sure that when you are learning a text that you look at the punctuation and allow that to govern the rhythm and flow of the line. This will help you to hold onto the meaning and intentions of the character even in moments of heightened emotion. There was a good understanding of the situation of your character and you set the scene ably at the start.

Note from the Judge:
This was a well-performed monologue Jimena. You conveyed a clear comprehension of the text and showed dexterity in your use of voice. The moments where you shifted rhythm and gained some momentum were particularly effective. Well done to you.

Note from the Judge:
What a great choice of monologue Isabelle, Sabrina Mahfooz is an excellent writer. I thought that your version of Layla was committed, brave and you fully embodied the character physically and vocally. This was a well-considered performance and your choices were underpinned with a clear understanding of the text. With such a charged extract, make sure that you still find moments of containment and control in amongst the height of emotion - as a young actor this will give you a wider tonal palette to play with. Well done.

Note from the Judge:
Delighted by your choice and interpretation of this monologue Aoife. This was a physically committed and brave performance and you captured the performance energy required without sacrificing truth. A difficult balance to find for any actor. An assured and bold performance. Well done.