Director’s Note: Don’t Perform at the Examiner

It’s very tempting in a LAMDA exam to walk into the room, see the examiner sitting behind the desk and immediately make them your audience. After all, they’re the person giving you the marks!

But one of the best things you can learn as a performer is to stop performing at the examiner and start living inside the piece.

Create the world around you

Before you begin, think about where you are. Who are you speaking to? What has just happened? What do you want from the person you are addressing?

If you can see that imaginary person or place clearly in your mind, your focus becomes much more natural. Instead of trying to show the examiner that you are angry, excited, frightened or amused, you begin to genuinely communicate the thoughts of the character or speaker.

Give your words somewhere to go

Decide where the person you are speaking to might be. Perhaps they are directly in front of you, slightly to one side, sitting down or standing further away.

Having a clear focal point gives your performance purpose. Your eyeline becomes more convincing and you are much less likely to fall into the habit of staring at the examiner for reassurance.

Think, then speak

Good performance should feel as though the words are being created in the moment — even when you have rehearsed them dozens of times.

Allow yourself to think before you speak. React to what your character has just said. Let a new thought change your expression, pace or tone.

The examiner already knows that you have learnt the piece. What they want to see is that you understand it and can communicate it.

Remember: you are inviting the examiner in

You don’t need to constantly look at the examiner to engage them. In fact, the opposite is often true.

Create the world of your poem, prose or monologue clearly enough and the examiner becomes an observer of that world rather than the person you are trying to impress.

Director’s challenge: Next time you rehearse, decide exactly who you are talking to, where they are and what you want them to think, feel or do by the end of the piece. You may be surprised by how much more truthful your performance becomes.