Director’s Notes: How to Choose the Right Piece for Your LAMDA Exam

Choosing your LAMDA pieces is an exciting part of preparing for an exam. Whether you’re looking for an acting monologue, a poem or an extract from a book, the aim isn’t to find the hardest or most impressive piece. It’s to find a piece that you can make interesting to watch and listen to.

So, before you settle on your selection, here are a few things to think about.

Choose something you actually like

You’re going to spend a lot of time with your piece! You’ll read it, analyse it, learn it, rehearse it and perform it over and over again.

Choose something that interests you. If you find the story funny, moving, exciting or intriguing, you’re much more likely to communicate that enthusiasm to your audience.

Make sure you understand it

Before you start learning the words, ask yourself: What is actually happening here?

If it’s an acting monologue, who are you talking to? What do you want from them? Why are you speaking now?

If it’s a poem, what is the poet communicating? What changes during the poem? Which words and images stand out?

If it’s prose, what is happening in the story? Whose point of view are we hearing? What atmosphere are you trying to create?

You need to understand the writing before you can communicate it effectively.

Look for a journey

The best pieces usually change.

Perhaps your character begins confidently but gradually becomes uncertain. A funny prose extract might suddenly become more serious. A poem might move from excitement to reflection.

These changes give you opportunities to vary your pace, pitch, volume, facial expression, emphasis and energy. If your piece feels exactly the same from beginning to end, it can be much harder to make it engaging.

Choose something that suits you – but challenges you too

Think about what you already do well. Are you naturally funny? Good at creating characters? Strong at emotional pieces? Do you have a powerful speaking voice or enjoy subtle, thoughtful texts?

Use those strengths – but don't be afraid to stretch yourself.

The perfect piece should feel achievable while still giving you something new to work on.

Think about contrast

If you need to perform more than one piece, don't choose two that feel almost identical.

Show the examiner what else you can do! You could contrast comedy with seriousness, fast pace with stillness, contemporary writing with something more classical, or an energetic character with a quieter one.

Your pieces should work together to show your range as a performer.

Read it aloud before deciding

A piece can look brilliant on the page and feel completely different when spoken.

Always try it aloud. How does the language feel in your mouth? Are there interesting rhythms and sounds? Can you imagine where you might pause, change pace or emphasise particular words?

Most importantly: does it make you want to perform it?

Don't choose something just because everyone knows it

There is nothing wrong with choosing a famous poem, book or character – but don't assume that a well-known piece will automatically make a good exam selection.

Your job isn't to copy a performance you've seen elsewhere. It's to investigate the text and discover your interpretation of it.

Check the rules!

Before spending hours learning something, make sure it fits the requirements for your particular LAMDA exam. Check the syllabus carefully for rules about timings, authors, published material and the number or type of selections required.

And remember: time yourself performing the piece. Speaking it expressively will usually take longer than simply reading through it. If in doubt, ask your teacher!

One final question...

When you've found a possible piece, ask yourself:

“What can I do with this?”

Can you find different moods? Can you create atmosphere? Can you play with pace and pause? Are there interesting words to explore? Does something change? Can you imagine yourself enjoying performing it in front of an examiner?

If the answer is yes, you may have found your piece.

The best LAMDA selections don't simply give you words to memorise. They give you possibilities – and that's where the fun really begins.