RADA Feedback

Last week, I received an email from Edward Kemp, the Director at RADA, with the details of my 2013 audition feedback. As you can imagine, I was ecstatic to even get the email and was even more surprised when I noticed the length! I'm very grateful. And so I have decided to share my feedback with you. Hopefully you'll see that I have imperfections and aspects to work on too.

Heather,

Many apologies for the slow reply to your email.  I tend to hold over any feedback until the whole offers process is over, and then sometimes the end of term and holidays intervene.

We really enjoyed seeing your work this year and, as I've said along the way, to get all the way through to the fourth round is quite achievement.  If I'm to absolutely frank, I think your age was against you this year.  A lot of the panel couldn't believe you were as young as you are, which on the one hand is a mark of maturity in your work, but I think also a sign that you will probably grow into your talent over the next few years.  At present I would say that you and your acting talent are still finding out about each other.  The best work you did in the third and fourth rounds was still and present and available: this is a very good place to work from.  A number of the panel commented upon you trying to do the right kinds of things, trying to communicate, having thoughts, but it not working all the time, or enough of the time. 
At your age I would say this is a great place to be - even if the messiness and the not achieving means that you don't yet get to where you want to (like a good drama school).  I would say working from this place, if you have the commitment and the talent, you will get somewhere. I think collectively we felt that Queen Margaret was a courageous choice, but not one you had the resources to make work at present.  They're tricky those big fierce Shakespearean women: it's very hard to come at them from the still, thoughtful place which I would guess is your current strong point - and one risks either not filling the character or trying to fill it and being fake.

So, what to do next.  Well, I would encourage you to audition again, for us and elsewhere.  I would choose pieces which are maybe younger, or if you want the rage and passion of a Margaret try to find it in something contemporary (but don't then feel you need to shout it!).  Your instincts are good and you need to trust them and cultivate them. Think about the actors and actresses you admire - what is it you like about them?  Not about their lives, but their work.  What can you find out about the way they work?  Do they have a process? A way in?  Is it methodical or is it inspirational?  Feed your passion for acting.  The best way to do this is to do it and to watch it.  It might be good to start an acting journal (if you haven't got one) where you write about the performances you love and hate, but maybe also record things you see around you in the world: a girl you see in a café or bar and wonder about what her story is, how would you play her.  Likewise, someone in a painting or photo. 
It would be good to build your voice and body.  You can do this through dedicated acting classes, but you can also do it by joining a choir.  I would avoid very hardcore bodywork - an actor's body doesn't want to be over-muscled it can become less expressive: yoga, pilates, expressive dance are all better than ballet or benchwork.  It might be good to find a class that takes you right out of your comfort zone - you'll know what that is, better than I.  For some it might be salsa, for others capoeira, for others jive: anything that makes you inhabit physical shapes and patterns you wouldn't in every day life.  Read - both novels and newspapers - go and watch things voraciously (not just plays, but dance, art, whatever you can find and afford) - watch people. Travel.   As I say, I think you're already on a pretty good path, but it all needs a little more time to come together.

I hope that's helpful  and I look forward to seeing you again sometime.

Best wishes
Edward

Reading my feedback for the first time, I honestly started to doubt whether I should even be auditioning in 2014 or taking a year out to really work on my acting. Even now, I'm unsure of what schools to go for. I know it is unrealistic to only want RADA but I honestly don't want to be anywhere else. I had a wee giggle to myself when Edward suggested a physical class to get into. Coincidently, during the audition process, I tweeted promising that if I didn't get into drama school, I would take up pole dancing classes. I'm so excited and glad to be working towards improving without realising!
As I said, I was extremely grateful for the detail and length of Edward's email - I hope it proves to new auditionees that there is no such thing as Nazi RADA, they are real people and they care. Speak to you all soon.