David Vann, Acting Tutor and Director at Birmingham School of Acting, has put together the following list of the most frequently asked questions he receives about auditions, which you
may find helpful in your preparations.

What sort of pieces should I choose for my audition?

"Pieces which YOU like - you need to find pieces to which you can relate emotionally and intellectually. Look for characters and speeches that reflect your experience of the world. Be very careful not to do 'disguise' acting by choosing something that requires a funny walk or strange voice or someone who is years older than you."

Can I cut a monologue together from a scene by omitting other characters' lines?

"Yes - as long as the cut version makes sense. There is no such thing as a monologue - what you hear in soliloquy is always one half of a dialogue, either with yourself or someone else. Don't cut together lines from different scenes - that won't make sense - and always acknowledge the 'other' person."

Could I choose a piece from a monologue anthology book?

"Monologue books are really useful for helping people who don't have a broad knowledge of repertoire to begin to look for ideas. The danger is that people find a speech in a monologue book, learn it, and study no further. Many books are full of American pieces, the full text of which can't be obtained in the UK, and some of these are purposely written audition speeches. The other danger with American pieces is that they are culturally way outside the experience of many of the applicants.

Another problem is that many of the speeches in monologue books are very well known. You must always select a speech from a full play and read the whole play to understand context and allow that knowledge to inform the work you are doing."

Can I perform a poem as part of my audition?

"Not really - few poems give you the scope to explore a character and his/her emotional journey in the same way as play text does."

Are there some timeworn pieces that one should avoid?

"Yes! Especially in the classical range, and some pieces from audition books. Always avoid material like Victoria Wood monologues, Alan Bennett's 'Talking Heads', and pieces which are identified with celebrated performances."

Can I choose a piece from a television or film script?

"If the speech really stands up and works in its own right, then it is perfectly acceptable. However, there are so many factors which influence screen writing that often a text, which seemed amazing in situ, just doesn't work when taken out of context.

Avoid pieces which are strongly identified with an actor or performance: Soze from The Usual Suspects for instance."

How long do my audition pieces need to be?

"Absolutely no more than 2 minutes. Ideally somewhere between 1 minute 40 and 1 minute 50 seconds. Face it, if the first 10 seconds did not really grab the panel's attention, going on beyond 1 minute 30 seconds is not going to improve the situation. You will be stopped if you go beyond 2 minutes.

However, do not get hung up on the idea that you need to make an audition speech tell the whole story of the play. A good speech will enable you to give a real insight into a moment in the character's life, just as if a window were briefly thrown open. That moment of life is clear and perfect, even though we do not see what happened before, or what happens next."

Can I perform a piece with an accent at my audition?

"If you are fluent in the accent, if it is your native accent or you speak it like a native and it is appropriate to the character, then yes. However, if it is an add-on or potentially distracting, if it is likely to disguise you or to obscure your real voice, then don't do it. Funny voices come into the same category as funny walks - they do not help you in an audition where we want to see you, not someone else!"

What about props?

"Unless a prop is absolutely essential - a letter, or a ring - then don't bother. If you need a prop, make sure that you bring it with you, and that it is something with which you are familiar so that you are not thrown by a strange object. However, do not bring a whole suitcase of bits and pieces with you. We are interested in seeing you, not seeing how well you can juggle a load of utensils you have retrieved from the loft."

What about costume?

"Exactly the same things apply. An indication of costume, appropriate shoes, shirt or skirt, to assist you is fine, but again - we want to see if you can connect to the character and tell us their story, not see whether you can disguise yourself in the externals of performance. Whatever you wear should be comfortable, and supportive of your work. Think about the style and weight of your shoes - fashion heels are definitely not suitable."