Drama School Rehearsal Breakthrough

Handy Acting Tips: Using music to inspire new emotion

So I have my final recall for Royal Central School of Music and Drama next week, and I have been worrying about how I can present my monologues in a truthful, honest way. Last time I was there, I felt really in tune with my speeches and performed them the best I ever have. However, the pressure is on for my final round and the last thing I want is my nerves making me strain the words out and messing them up. I have been working my monologues (Juliet and Cressida as my Shakespeares and Educating Rita and Stella from Whale Music as my contemporaries)  for ages now, and they are not feeling very fresh when I rehearse. However, I had a eureka moment as I was watching Masterchef last night. Hear me out! They were announcing the winner and dragging it out as usual, and in the background a beautiful acoustic cover of 'Take me on' was being played. I wasn't even listening to who they crowned champion because I was so absorbed in how emotional and powerful this song was. Out of nowhere, I thought oh my godness, this is exactly how Cressida feels in her speech telling Troilus she loves him. I had a sudden vision in my head of the scene in a film with that song running underneath it as she puts her heart on the line. I then made a mental note to try saying the monologue with this music playing quietly in the background, and when I did, sure as anything it struck a chord I have never been able to engage with before! I am definitely going to summon this track into my head as I perform this on Thursday, perhaps even listen to it before I go in.

I then got spotify up and searched through my playlists to find songs to emotionally inspire me. The songs had to be very well known and meaningful to me to have any kind of effect, and the experiment did take some trial and error. However, I managed to pull together a list of music to help me work with all of my monologues. The thought of doing these monologues for Central seems a lot more exciting now I have this strategy in place! I will post how it goes - it would be fabulous if anything came of it, but I rest assured that I still have a place at East 15 awaiting. What will be will be, I've just got to give every opportunity my best shot. Positive vibes!