A question I am often asked is: how can I learn my lines quickly? While there are a number of ways you can try and speed up the learning process, it does come down to the individual - some people just find it easier. Here are some of the techniques that I have picked up that will hopefully help some of you.

Understand the words: This step is vital with Shakespeare monologues especially. Trying to remember Shakespearean language you are unfamiliar with is like trying to memorize another language. It will be much much easier if you highlight and look up anything you are unacquainted with. Likewise, with modern monologues, you have to see and understand where the character is coming from to make it easier.

Get moving: Try not to just sit down with a script in your hands. By occupying your brain with another activity, the words then sink and lock in to your memory much quicker. Sounds difficult, but all you have to do is walk, skip, pace, whatever. For my Queen Margaret monologue I was striding around with as much anger as possible and as a result learnt it within two hours. This activity also will help when it comes to auditions. They often get you to say your monologue out loud during movement - this proves that your not just reciting.

Write it out: In my GCSE French writing exam, I wrote the essay and then over the next week wrote out the same essay over and over again - so by the time it got to the real thing I knew it off by heart and walked out with an A. Just think of it as revising and concentrate on writing out the lines that you know the least.

Record yourself: By now if you still haven't learnt them, record yourself reading out the monologue and then put it in your iTunes library etc. Put your headphones in and listen to it while you're doing chores, or walking to college, or especially when you are sleeping as it then seeps into your subconscious. 

Remember that not everyone can do this easily. All you can do is your best. Practise little but often because if you try to learn them round the clock, you'll just block and nothing will go in. Follow these tips or even get a friend to help you. Best of luck!

It's so lovely to know that the 2014 auditions have already started. By that I don't mean the actual process, but more the preparations and readings leading up to them. Already I'm getting messages for advice or answers to questions about your own personal audition. So I thought I'd give you a rough outline of where you should be now, what you should aim to have done and when by, and how best to go about it.

For any new readers looking for advice on their 2014 auditions, welcome. I hope you'll find everything you need here. And if not, feel free to ask. 

Step one is organisation. Get your hands on a folder or a plastic wallet that holds all of the information on the drama schools you're going for. In my folder, I printed off what to expect on the 3yr course (or whichever you are going for), what needs to be obtained to get on to the course (while some are simply auditions, I know that Central ask for 5 C GCSEs), the fee prices for the course and audition, as well as what to expect in the audition room. Print off this information for each school and group it together. It will make it so much easier to compare.

Step two is highlighting. If like RADA, the school website offers a list of what they are looking for, print it off and highlight your strengths and weaknesses. I remember that in RADA's audition procedure PDF, it stated that they strongly discouraged 'mad' characters - which I then doubled checked with a teacher if my Lady M was appropriate. So you're looking for stuff like this! Then put it in your folder.

Step three is identifying what you're best at. If you have great comic timing, then obviously comedy would be great for you. Don't just assume that you need an angry character in order to show off your talent best. If classics are your strong point, pick a more complex speech and take risks. Just be sure to have two juxtaposing characters. 

Step four is choosing a speech. With Shakespeare especially, it's easy to just pick it off of a website. What you really need to do is choose a couple that grab your attention, read some background information in to the play and the surrounding scenes around the monologue - and then if you are still interested, read the play. There is no getting around this - you need to know the play inside and out. If you have difficulty reading Shakespeare, use spark notes. You need to start ASAP, as they will be asking you why you chose that speech - and you need to have a better answer than "I liked it". 

These are the first four steps that you definitely need to start as soon as. Ideally, if the auditions start around November time, you should be reading and understanding the play by the end of September. Of course, if you are auditioning later on in January time, this will be later. But make sure you have at least a month after learning it to block. 

You can message me on here or find me on twitter at heather_shanley. Happy planning!

This post is to follow my previous post about preparing: Audition Preparation Tips. Please feel free to comment and ask questions. If there is anything I haven't covered, not explained well, or even if you are unsure of student finance or applications - I'm here!

Okay, as a lot of you know, first impressions are everything. The reality is that you have to think of every single element of your audition with the intention of making everything go in your favour. So let's take it step by step:

• Arrive early and on time. I'm not sure how many times I can say this but it really does put you in the right frame of mind. You don't want to be running and rushing around all scattered.
• Do not rehearse your monologues before you go in. Have confidence when you step into that school that you know your monologues line by line perfectly. Do not let the nerves make you panicky.
• Be confident from the moment you step in to the audition room. You literally need to ooze confidence and charisma. Have you ever seen a play - possibly Shakespeare, and seen an actor such as Mark Rylance come on to the stage and immediately felt his presence? You can't take your eyes off of them because they have presence. Unfortunately this does not come naturally to everyone - but confidence does a lot for first impressions. And do not confuse confidence with arrogance.
• Don't be awkward. A lot of auditionees have said to me at previous auditions that they felt that the audition panel would like you more if you shook their hands. Would they honestly recall a shit actor because they shook their hand? No. Disregard that myth. If you don't normally shake hands with people then don't. The only school that I have ever shook hands with the panel both at the preliminary and the recall was RADA - and that's only because I felt so comfortable and it felt right. Don't be awkward, don't force it.
• Stand away from the panel when doing your speeches. The tendency we have is to stand too close to the panel, when in fact, it's better to be further away. It might feel odd performing so far away but if you don't, you'll only be instructed to back away.
• Perform your best speech first. First impressions are made within the first 30 seconds. Before the audition, plan to perform in a certain order so that you can showcase your best talent first. My recommendation, with the assumption that you have one dramatic and one comical piece, would be to do the comedy second. That's what I have done.
  
  
• I've separated this point because I feel it is one of the most important. Just before you start, what do you think to yourself? "I'm so nervous".. "Calm down".. "What's my first line?" - I'm guessing that last one there. This is not what you should be doing. From the moment they say to you "when you're ready", you should be in the mind frame of the character.
  
  What you should be thinking is "what's my first thought?"
  
  As Portia, I'm thinking to myself that I need to confront Brutus, I need to tell him what's worrying me, he needs to know that I feel neglected. This raises your stakes and gains focus. Perhaps even at home even practise some method acting and improvise the thoughts of your character - whatever works for you.

• Pick a spot and stick to it. Personally I hate performing to a wall, but to make it easier you need to determine where that character is. Make the decision.
• Pace yourself when performing. Get a copy of your monologue and mark where you naturally take a breath in the monologue and then get another pen to mark in pauses for effect. Throughout this entire audition process i can most probably count the small amount of auditionees that have used the correct pace.
• Pitch is extremely important when shaping your monologue. If your entire speech is set in only one tone it goes nowhere. There needs to be a change to create impact. If you are familiar with the work of Stanislavski then creating units and objectives go hand in hand with pitch. 
• Beware of habits such as pointing with your fingers, speaking with your hands, moving your head too much or moving on the spot. All of these little movements tell them that you're nervous and haven't blocked your monologue properly.
• When you finish, pause and hold your ground for a good three seconds before coming out of role. It looks extremely bad if you just let the end of the monologue just drop. I remember at GSA when performing in front of the other auditionees, one of them was saying his last line while retreating to his seat. Definite no-no.

Reading my previous post about interviews, you should have enough to go on. This was more about the practical side. Any more questions ask away.

• Research! What exactly is it that you will be doing in the audition? You should already have all your monologues learnt since the time of application, but remember that drama schools want different things - don't just assume they all only want 2 monologues and a backup. Take Guildford for example, who ask that you bring a copy of a sonnet.
• Train tickets. How much is it going to cost to get there and back? Remember peak times.
• Get everything ready the night before so you don't have to scramble for time in the morning. Passport photo if needed, audition receipt, monologue copies? Make sure you check for train delays and have a Plan B.
• Wear suitable clothing. This doesn't necessarily mean all-black. I would recommend a comfortable pair of loose-fitting jeans, sweatpants or leggings. Choose a top that is also loose-fitting and refrain from overly bright colours or patterns/designs. Just stick to completely plain clothing so the attention is on you.
• Turn up at least half an hour early for your audition so you have a 'cushion'. This way, if there is a train delay or you can't find your way, you have a bit of time. It doesn't matter if you are way too early, just sit in a cafe and grab yourself a drink so you can relax. 

More tips for inside the audition to come! Guildford tomorrow, wish me luck! (Which by the way is costing me almost £50 to get there! Just kill me)