![Antonia Davies answers questions about her time at Central School of Speech and Drama [i_531] Antonia Davies answers questions about her time at Central School of Speech and Drama](http://www.actorhub.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Antonia-Davies-175x175.jpg)
Antonia Davies
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Years Attended - 1991-94
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Type of Course - Acting
Actor Hub 12 Training Questions
We asked drama school alumni from across the years to share their recollections,tips, advice and thoughts from their years spent training. Here are their answers. If you want to share your memories get in touch with us via Facebook or Twitter
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How was your audition?I auditioned two years running, as I was unsuccessful the first year I auditioned, but I had been recalled and got onto RADA’s waiting list, so I took strength from that alone.
So, I learnt from my experiences and tried to be better.
The following year I got recalled and recalled and put on waiting lists and I took the place at Central. I only applied to Drama schools who were accredited and sounded right for me. I then went through a process of selection through which ones I enjoyed the most at the auditions, for me the best auditions were at RADA, Central and Guildhall.
The auditions are very rigorous, often dancing, singing, improvisations, and of course they want to see your speeches, which you need to know inside and out, because you will be asked to do them many times and possibly improvise around them/cut them up/sing/shout them etc.
I loved all this as it was a challenge but fun, I LOVED my speeches too, and I think that is vital. Something that you love because it makes you laugh or cry, or is outrageous or ridiculous. But YOU MUST CONNECT with the speeches you choose, for your own reasons. Practice them LOTS and show them to some-one who understands the business, if possible, because any feedback/help from other people can be invaluable.
You will do lots of exercises or improvisations with other students, so have fun but do NOT act like a show off or some-one who is a big mouth. They want to see people who can work well with others, be a team player, be imaginitive, helpful and positive.
In my final audition at Central I got to act a scene with a few of the 1st year students ( who are now well known actors), and I absolutely loved it. It was an improvisation around ‘persuasion’ and I ended up sitting on one of the actor’s laps, it was very funny, and thankfully they forgave me for it. I am glad that I was able to relax enough in my auditions to show a sense of humour and spirit! -
What were the facilities like at school?Central back then was shabby but charming.
I think they have had a big re-vamp recently, since they merged with Webber Douglas, but The Embassy Theatre is still there, and is well loved by the locals and students alike.
We had a great studio space too, where we had intensive work on learning film/camera technique and I think some of us took that for granted at the time. All of us would have liked more time doing this kind of training though, but Central has always had a good reputation for preparing students well in film technique.
We had some lovely rooms with sprung floors and wall to wall mirrors, my favourite room was the radio/voice recording studio and we had a lovely teacher who did radio dramas with us, which I adored doing. Sometimes we had to rehearse in church halls and community meeting rooms, which wasn’t so good, but you often have to put up with rehearsal spaces like this in professional companies, so I don’t think that was so bad really. -
What 3 items would be your essentials for surviving drama school?If by 3 items you mean physical items:
Rescue Remedy
Well made leggings
A pencil
If you mean attributes/attitude:
Be open and have a sense of humour.
Work hard , play hard.
Keep good relationships with people, especially visiting directors.
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What were the lessons you learnt most from, and which could you have lived without?I learnt most from the voice teachers and movement teachers.
I had gone to University before drama school, so they got me to ‘live’ in my body more, to stop thinking so much and intellectualize things less. It is amazing how many tensions and habits we carry in our bodies and voices without realizing it.
I could have happily lived without the ‘Psychodrama’ lessons, they didn’t really provide any useful training for me, it just felt self-indulgent and pretentious. -
What lessons did this school offer on surviving in the big bad world?It encouraged you to keep in touch with your alumni, make work for yourselves, understand networking and approaching Casting Directors etc, but the real practical help and preparation for professional auditions should have been more rigorous…I believe they are very good with this at Bristol Old Vic Drama School.
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Do you still have a network of friends from the course or school?Absolutely. I take great strength and often inspiration from the friends I made at Central. Thankfully a lot of them are life-long friendships.
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What was the most inspiring lesson/tip you learnt at drama school?Be on time!
Trust your acting instinct and listen to what the director is saying. If those things conflict still listen to what the director is saying, be respectful and just get on with it!
oh, and: Be on time! -
What was the most embarassing moment at drama school?I would love to regale you with a drunken story from a night in the bar but I have to say that my most embarrassing moment was when I was made to dance at the front of the group in a dance class (where I always hid at the back with fellow non-dancers), I didn’t know the steps, I didn’t know how to tell my left foot from my right let alone move them to time, so that was a disaster.
The other more serious moment was when I dried on-stage in a 3rd year show. It was awful and sadly it was in front of a few agents who were interested in me at the time. -
How was your showcase?The showcase was very well attended, I performed what I wanted, and many actors left with agents.
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Which is the local pub where everyone liked to hang out?The Swiss, on Swiss Cottage roundabout.
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What would your current self tell your younger self before you started your drama school?Drama school is a big opportunity, it is not the only opportunity, but many doors will be opened to you along the way.
If possible, make the most of ALL of them.
It is easy to take things for granted once you are there, DON”T!
If you can help it, Don’t work part-time for money in your third year, the third year is your ‘launchpad’, so give yourself all the space you can to succeed;
allow yourself to JUST WORK ON BEING AS SUCCESSFUL as possible in your acting.
If you would like to answer the Actor Hub 12 training questions and share your thoughts and recollections from your time at drama school, we would love to hear from you. Get in touch with us via the Contact Page
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