LAMDA drama school shortlist and other drama school topics...

Hey there people (if there is anyone reading this post I hope to God I'm not talking to myself).

Well lets start shall with on why you are hopefully reading this post. I am currently in my second year of auditioning for drama schools at the moment and my gosh it does't get easier. However this year I have had relative success, so far I am shortlisted for Bristol Old Vic and also Shortlisted for LAMDA.

I am well aware at how big the shortlist is for Bristol Old Vic so I shall not be getting my hopes up for a place were there is only 14 people accepted in the BA course. Also I already know 3 other boys accepted in Bristol this year so I am pretty aware of my chances for Bristol... even though I LOVED the place so much and it breaks my heart to say that.

On regards of the LAMDA shortlist, after battling my way to the final round and I was told a week after that I had been shortlisted for 3 year BA course in Acting. My heart somewhat sinks at this thought as it means that I have to wait for another drama school to get back to me. I almost feel like if they just rejected me on the spot then at least I could move on with my life. Its hard in these circumstances not to feel just like an afterthought.

Saying that though it does give me good practice for understanding what the industry is like so every negative is a positive and all that jazz. ( see feeling positive already)

Anyway I am going of on a tangent here so back on topic. Quite frankly I loved LAMDA although I was slightly confused because I got absolutely no direction from the panel in any of the rounds unlike Bristol and various other drama schools I had recalls for.

Being on the waiting list is a daunting thought so to quell ( I hope that is a real word) my anxiety I decided to try to find other peeps who are possibly in the same situation this year. Who like me are on a waiting list for LAMDA or just any drama school nonsense to be honest.

My worry with LAMDA is that fact that I am not sure what being on a shortlist means and how many people are placed on this shortlist. Are there a guaranteed set of places for shortlisted applicants? Is it more like a reserve list and they just give you a place if someone drops out before the course? Is there a vast amount of people on this waiting? Also I know 2 people who were in my final round audition who got accepted straight away soo...

My questions are endless quite frankly, would be lovely to just speak to some people who have been on a shortlist for drama schools in previous years or are currently on a waiting list like me.

Thank you for hopefully reading this long and wafflyesque (just made up a word... oh i just proved my point that I talk a lot.. I'm doing it now.. STOP IT!) blog.

Reply 1

chefrancis

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Hey also just like to say, if anyone needs help or information on drama schools and there auditions based around the UK I am always willing to give a few characters of advise. As I have auditioned for basically every drama school in the UK over the last two years (oh woe is me).

Reply 2

chefrancis

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Hey nice to see someone actually read my post yay! I wasn't speaking to myself... Still haven't heard from them yet, I messaged them just to ask when we would find out if we got in or not. Just because of student finance issues since the deadline was last week.

They replied back to me saying that we would find out at the end of June if we are still on the wait list or not. And then from there we could find out any time between late June to the start of the course in September. So it is all up in the air really.

Which course are you shortlisted for in LAMDA? And keep in contact nice to here from people in a similar situation. Have you heard back from any where else this year?

Reply 3

chefrancis

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Thats amazing well done, I really wantes to apply to the lire but i wasnt sure if I could afford to move to Ireland. When do you find out?

Reply 4

thatmtgirl

Original post by chefrancis

Hey also just like to say, if anyone needs help or information on drama schools and there auditions based around the UK I am always willing to give a few characters of advise. As I have auditioned for basically every drama school in the UK over the last two years (oh woe is me).

DESPERATELY TRYING TO FIND OUT: What is the best way to tackle a monologue because all the auditions I have ever done I've totally naffed up infront of the panel because theres just that one bloody part I can never quite remember...

Reply 5

just_smurfy

I was shortlisted back in January/February for the TTSM course at LAMDA and I'm still waiting. June seems so close now.

Reply 6

Hilda_K

Hi I got a question! I had an audition for the MA acting for screen course at Central. We were told we would get an answer no matter what, which could be any of those: Yes, no, waiting list or recall. My friend, who was there with me at the same day, already got a recall (the audition itself was 2 weeks ago).
I heard NOTHING from them. I did call, and they only said I should bear with them. I'm going mad...any ideas? Should I understand I didn't get in?

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 7

chefrancis

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Original post by just_smurfy

I was shortlisted back in January/February for the TTSM course at LAMDA and I'm still waiting. June seems so close now.

Oh well done Smurfy.. i know how you feel i was shortlisted for Bristol in February as well, the wait is quite frankly exhausting and draining. Also my friend is really interested in the TTSM at LAMDA, from your interviews at LAMDA did you like the feeling of the course?

Reply 8

chefrancis

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Original post by thatmtgirl

DESPERATELY TRYING TO FIND OUT: What is the best way to tackle a monologue because all the auditions I have ever done I've totally naffed up infront of the panel because theres just that one bloody part I can never quite remember...

Hey there thanks for reading my blog also delighted to offer advice. When it comes to monologues and getting to learn them it is a very personal and subjective thing. Everyone has there own way of getting to know and understand their monologues.

First of all I would ask you, are the monologues truthful and meaningful to you? At the end of the day they aren't really to worried about what the monologue is about. They most importantly want to see if you can get the meaning across to them in a truthful personal way. Just because you know the monologue of by heart doesn't mean that you are conveying the story.

Look at each transition of your monologues (parts were a change in motion occurs). And try to think of what the character is going through at that stage on an emotional level.

Read the whole play and do some research on your character to try to bring out what that character means to you. That way because you have that connection to the monologue you feel a lot more confident AND intune with your character.

Also possibly one of the reasons why you may be fluffling up on a particular section is because you are thinking about the lines rather than thinking of the characters emotional movement through the monologue. I would say YES practice the monologue word for word... Get people to listen to you... And also get people/friends to tell you to try your monologue in a different way e.g. BE A UV LIGHTBULB (very Central School of Speech and Drama!!) This will allow your monologue to be fluid and flexible given you the confidence and freedom to FEEL your way through the monologue... WHICH IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT!!!

P.S. I was asked in my Central Recall to be a UV light bulb so you never know what will be asked of you. EMBRACE THE IMPOSSIBLE!!

Reply 9

chefrancis

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Original post by Hilda_K

Hi I got a question! I had an audition for the MA acting for screen course at Central. We were told we would get an answer no matter what, which could be any of those: Yes, no, waiting list or recall. My friend, who was there with me at the same day, already got a recall (the audition itself was 2 weeks ago).
I heard NOTHING from them. I did call, and they only said I should bear with them. I'm going mad...any ideas? Should I understand I didn't get in?

Hey there, thanks for reading this post. On regards of your question I begin to sigh. Because I have been in your exact same position. Drama schools and especially their administration staff are highly illogical confusion things.

I have been in recall sessions where I have found out on the day whether I have got through the final round whether people in my group found out a few weeks later in which they got the same result as me.

In short there is unfortunately know way of knowing what it means if other people find out before you. However saying that people who usually find out really quickly it is highly likely that the panel saw something in them that they were specifically looking for that year. People that take longer to hear back a lot of the time means that they are going to wait for people in that audition slot or recall stage to complete auditioning before deciding to send certain people to the next stage or not.

However do not look into this too far it could be any manner of reasons. Central is a big school and has a lot of admin to get through so just hold on tight and wait for a few more weeks. If they haven't got back to you when they said. Then I would reply back to inquire about your audition process.

HOPE THIS HELPED!

Reply 10

chefrancis

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Original post by jolp92

I live in Ireland so it would be the opposite for me going to Lamda. Sorry I know I wasn't clear but I was accepted into the Lir- the final round was a few weeks ago. Do you know how many people are on the short list for Lamda? I would say there's a decent chance of getting an offer once you're on the short list

Oh wow that's incredible FANTASTIC NEWS. Yes I can see why going to the Lir would be an amazing choice for you as well. Both places seem brilliant creative environments to study and develop as an actor. It is quite astonishing that you got in your first year so DOUBLE WELL DONE, full of envy right now. How old are you may I ask?

Yes that is one of my questions as well. I'm not quite sure how big the LAMDA shortlist is. I'm pretty sure it is know where near as big as the shortlist for Bristol Old Vic so that is a positive. A friend of mine who is on the 2 year acting course in LAMDA was shortlisted and so were quite a few in his year. So that is good news.

Reply 11

just_smurfy

Original post by chefrancis

Oh well done Smurfy.. i know how you feel i was shortlisted for Bristol in February as well, the wait is quite frankly exhausting and draining. Also my friend is really interested in the TTSM at LAMDA, from your interviews at LAMDA did you like the feeling of the course?

Sweet! Good luck for Bristol! Yeah the course seems really good. I really liked the whole LAMDA at Large initiative that is going on at the moment. Also they mentioned that this year's intake would be the first to work in the new theatre space they're building. Very exciting :biggrin:

Also the staff were lovely and the students really friendly.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 12

chefrancis

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Original post by jolp92

Thank you very much, I was a bit surprised myself considering I only started acting 3 months before the auditions, but thankfully the hard work has paid off. I'm 22 and just finished university where I was studying accounting so a big change. Out of curiosity how did you hear about the Lir? I only ask because most people I met at auditions in London had never heard of it. Which course did you say you auditioned for in Lamda, the 2 or 3 year?

Oh indeed a massive change for you is in store. Such a huge contrast to accounting haha. I heard about the lir for a few years ever since it opened in 2011. I just found it really interesting place to study as it is accredited by RADA. And Irish actors are notorious for being soo bloody good. I wanted to apply for gaiety aswell haha.

I applied for the 3 year in Acting so yeh on the waiting list for that now.... We'll just have to wait and see...

Reply 13

chefrancis

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Has anyone heard anything yet?

Reply 14

chefrancis

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OH wow, thank you for that information. So two more weeks it is then, this is torture. Ah well not too long now I just hope I'm still under consideration when I get the email. Have you made a decision on when you want to go to now?