Prose Reading is reading a section from a book to an audience. Sounds simple doesn’t it? But making your reading entertaining enough to hold an audience rapt is harder than it would appear.

Prepared Prose Reading compared to Prose Reading

In the case of Prepared Prose Reading a book is usually specified but you are free to choose the passage you would like to read. The only stipulation is usually a time limit. Make sure you have timed your piece in advance because when you are competing in a festival you will often lose marks for going over the time limit.

Alternatively Prose Reading is where a book is set but you are only presented with a passage to read from it when you are called to perform. The Wootton Bassett Arts Festival only has Prepared Prose Reading classes and therefore these hints and tips apply to this alone.

Preparing your reading

Read the book

This may seem obvious but some performers do not do it. If you have not read the book you do not understand the context of the piece you are performing and are likely to make incorrect assumptions about the text. You will also not be acquainted with the characters, and this may make a difference to the vocal presentation.

Selecting your reading

Look for a piece which is a mini story in itself and includes a moment of dramatic tension in it. Select a piece that you can build to an effective climax, before bringing it to an end.

Punctuation

Pay careful attention to the punctuation. Again it seems obvious but many people pause at the end of a line rather than the end of a sentence. Observe commas.  Commence on a new vocal note for a new paragraph, which usually denotes a new idea.

Read REALLY slowly

You will be surprised how slowly you need to read when sharing a story with an audience. It is always slower than seems normal. The audience is listening to what you are saying and then trying to absorb it and make sense of it and all this takes longer than if they were reading the words themselves. Plus, if you speak slowly you will make fewer mistakes, and by looking ahead with you eyes, you can gather up the sense, so the reading will flow more smoothly. You will find it easier to speak clearly without losing consonants along the way.

Narrator’s voice versus the voices of characters

It is important to clearly separate the narrator’s voice from the dialogue. This is done by introducing a very small pause before the dialogue. Also think about the voices of the characters, consider using a different accent for each character providing it is appropriate.

Practice

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that because this is a reading you do not need to practice very much. Learning where to put in the correct emphasis and pausing will take time and will only appear natural if you rehearse it thoroughly. For Hints and Tips on emphasis and pausing read the Blog “Hints and Tips – Performance Poetry”.

Remember this is a reading

If you practice a piece many times over you may find that you start to memorise it unintentionally. Although this may be difficult to avoid you must actually read the piece on the day. If you look at the audience for too long a period of time you may well lose marks. At the same time, you must communicate with the audience, and look up just enough to share the ideas with them.

On the day of the performance

Before you begin

When you arrive at the stage wait for the adjudicator to be ready – you do not want them to miss your opening lines!

Introducing your reading

Always introduce your reading. Tell the audience the name of the book, the author and chapter.  Then count to three before you start.

Stance

Firstly stand with your feet slightly apart. Do not forget to SMILE. You will be surprised how much this helps with your nerves and when you smile other people cannot help smiling back!

Holding the book and page turning

Hold your book in front of your chest not too high because then the audience cannot see your face, and not too low because then you will have to look down most of the time so yet again your face will not show and your voice will not project to the audience either.

If your reading requires you to turn a page, place your finger in the next page before your start. This will make it easier for you to turn the page and avoid halting the flow of your reading. Although this is something you will have to do on the day of the performance it is something which should be practiced in advance to ensure it is second nature on the day.

Beginnings and endings

Start by quickly re-reading the first and last lines of your reading. This will mean you can start and end your reading looking at the audience rather than looking at the book. Then, when you are about to finish, signal to the audience that the reading is coming to an end by slowing down to a stop.

Share your reading with the audience

You should look at the audience at the beginning of your reading and also at the end but you will need to look up during the main body of your reading too. Moments of drama are a good time to look up from the book as well as pieces of dialogue. Remember to share your reading with all of your audience and not just those immediately in front of you. Sometimes look to the left of your audience and at other times to those on your right.

If you make a mistake…

…soldier on, you never know people might not notice!

When you finish

Wait a short moment at the end of your performance to show that you have finished rather than running away!

Have FUN

Don’t forget this is going to be FUN. When you’ve shared your reading with the audience and received their applause you will feel a great sense of achievement and pride in what you have done.