Speech & Drama Results

What a great Festival, what wonderful performances and what great results! Here they all are for you to look through:

CLASS SD2 POEM 8 & 9 years

JESSICA MARTIN – 83

LIBERTY SHIRNIA – 84

HARRIET SIMMONS – 83

ELOISE STOKES – 85, CLASS WINNER

ELOISE STOKES received THE PATRICIA READ TROPHY for gaining the Highest Mark out of classes SD1 and SD2

CLASS SD3 POEM 10 & 11 years

ALICE CAVEY – 84

AQIL JANNATY -  85, CLASS WINNER

FREDDIE ROBB – 84

JULIAN SHIRNIA – 84

ALEXANDRA SIMMONS – 84

CLASS SD4 POEM 12 & 13 years

LUCY BATHER – 83

ISABELLE MARTIN – 83

NOORISHAH MOLEDINA – 84

FLORENCE SHIRNIA – 88, CLASS WINNER

AUGUSTA TRUSSELL – 84

FLORENCE SHIRNIA received THE JACQUIE DE CREED MEMORIAL TROPHY for gaining the Highest Mark out of Classes SD3 and SD4

CLASS SD5 POEM 14, 15 & 16 years

OLIVIA BROWN – 86

ELLIOT SHIRNIA – 88, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD6 POEM 17 years and over – OPEN

MARGARET WILLIAMS – 87, CLASS WINNER

ELLIOT SHIRNIA received THE ANDREW McDOWELL CUP for the Highest Mark out of Classes SD5 and SD6.

CLASS SD7 SONNET – OPEN

FIONA NEILL – 86

MARGARET WILLIAMS – 87, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD8 CHORAL/GROUP SPEAKING 11 years & under

PATRICIA READ’S FRIDAY GROUP – 85, CLASS WINNERS

CLASS SD9 CHORAL/GROUP SPEAKING 14 years & under

PATRICIA READ’S MONDAY GROUP – 84, CLASS WINNERS

CLASS SD10 SOLO ACTING 9 years and under

THOMAS BEATTIE – 87

JOEL FRANKLIN – 82

ANNABELLE MARTIN – 84

SOPHIE MORGAN-RODDA – 83

LIBERTY SHIRNIA – 90, CLASS WINNER

ANDRE STAMP – 89

CLASS SD11 SOLO ACTING 10 & 11 years

REBECCA ABINGDON – 84

FLORENCE EVANS – 84

ROSE FAWCETT – 84

ALICE HALL – 84

OSCAR HENRY – 84

AQIL JANNATY – 84

LARA KUROPATWA – 87

DAISY MITFORD-SLADE – 87

WILLIAM PERRETT – 84

FREDDIE ROBB – 85

FREYA SAXTON – 84

JULIAN SHIRNIA – 86, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD12 SOLO ACTING 12 & 13 years

LUCY BATHER – 88

ALIYA JANNATY – 85

FLORENCE SHIRNIA – 86

AUGUSTA TRUSSELL – 85

SHAUNA WARREN-GRACE – 89, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD13 SOLO ACTING 14, 15 & 16 years

RUBY BEES – 85

LOUISE CATHERWOOD – 88

MAX CURTIS – 89

ELLA GREENWOOD – 86

RACHAEL KING – 85

THOMAS LOWDE – 90, CLASS WINNER

EDWARD MAYNARD – 88

ELLIOT SHIRNIA – 86

BRITTANY WARD – 84

CLASS SD14 SOLO ACTING 17 years and over – OPEN

PHIL COOK – 85

MEGAN PEACOCK – 84

MERVYN PENNY – 86

MARGARET WILLIAMS – 90, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD15 SOLO SHAKESPEARE 14, 15 & 16 years

ELLIOT SHIRNIA – 84, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD16 SOLO SHAKESPEARE 17 years & over – OPEN

RACHEL JOHNSON – 83

MEGAN PEACOCK – 87, CLASS WINNER

MARGARET WILLIAMS – 84

CLASS SD17 DUOLOGUE ACTING 9 years & under

ELOISE STOKES & JESSICA MARTIN – 84, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD18 DUOLOGUE ACTING 11 years & under

TATIANA PARR & CATHARINE REID – 88, CLASS WINNERS

CASSIDY MORDAK & LEAHANN HORGAN – 82

EMILY FRANKLIN & FREYA MADELEY – 83

HENRY NEWMAN & FREDDIE HELLENS – 86

JULIAN SHIRNIA & LIBERTY SHIRNIA – 87

CLASS SD19 DUOLOGUE ACTING 13 years & under

ISABELLA BEES & ATALAYA ATHERTON – 85

ALICE HALL & OLIVIA ANNISS – 88, CLASS WINNERS

ALICE CAVEY & ISABELLE MARTIN – 84

MEGAN TOOP-ROSE & LANI BOND – 84

ANASTASIA PIATEK & FRANCIS NUNNERY – 84

DANIELLE BEVAN & JENSON STOKES-DINE – 84

CLASS SD20 DUOLOGUE ACTING 16 years & under

WILLIAM HAYWOOD & OLIVER MacKENZIE – 86

SHAUNA WARREN-GRACE & BRITTANY WARD – 83

JACK COOK & GRIFFIN MORDAK – 82

ELLA GREENWOOD & HARLEY BUNCE – 86

ELLIOT SHIRNIA & FLORENCE SHIRNIA – 84

KENNEDY GALLAGHER & CALLUM ASLANTEPE – 88, CLASS WINNERS

CLASS SD21 : DUOLOGUE ACTING – OPEN

BENJAMIN McMAHON & SAM STAFFORD – 85

PAULA CLIFFORD & SALLY HOPKINS – 87, CLASS WINNERS

CHARLOTTE TILLEHY & ABI TAYLOR – 84

CLASS SD22 GROUP ACTING 11 years & under

SWINDON YOUNG ACTORS – 84, CLASS WINNERS

CLASS SD23 GROUP ACTING 14 years and under

THE ENTHUSIASTS – 88

CALNE BOYS GROUP – 89, CLASS WINNERS

CLASS SD25 GROUP ACTING – Senior OPEN

THE CLARENDON PLAYERS – 84, CLASS WINNERS

SD27 GROUP DEVISED 16 YEARS & UNDER

SWINDON YOUNG ACTORS – 90, CLASS WINNERS

CLASS SD29 PREPARED PROSE READING 9 years & under

LIBERTY SHIRNIA – 86, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD30 PREPARED PROSE READING 11 years & under

AQIL JANNATY – 86

JULIAN SHIRNIA – 87, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD31 PREPARED PROSE READING 14 years & under

ANEELA AHMED – 83

BHAVISHA DESAI – 83

NOORISHAH MOLEDINA – COMMENDED

ELLIOT SHIRNIA – 84

AUGUSTA TRUSSELL – 85, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD33 PREPARED PROSE READING 17 years & over – OPEN

MARGARET WILLIAMS – 87, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD34 MEMORISED PROSE 9 – 11 years

LIBERTY SHIRNIA – 89, CLASS WINNER

JULIAN SHIRNIA – 88

CLASS SD35 MEMORISED PROSE 12 – 15 years

OLIVIA BROWN – 85

BHAVISHA DESAI – 85

FLORENCE SHIRNIA – 86

ELLIOT SHIRNIA – 88, CLASS WINNER

GUYON TRUSSELL – 87

CLASS SD36 MEMORISED PROSE 16 YEARS & OVER – OPEN

RACHAEL KING – 87

FIONA NEILL – 88, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD37 PREPARED BIBLE READING 11 years & under

JULIAN SHIRNIA – 88

LIBERTY SHIRNIA – 89, CLASS WINNER

GREGORY STRANGWARD-PRYCE – 88

CLASS SD38 PREPARED BIBLE READING 15 years & under

ELLIOT SHIRNIA – 90, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD39 PREPARED BIBLE READING – OPEN

MARGARET WILLIAMS – 88, CLASS WINNER

ELLIOT SHIRNIA received the BIBLE SOCIETY CUP for the Highest Mark out of Classes SD37, SD38 and SD39

CLASS SD40 T.V. NEWS READING 11 years & under

FREDDIE ROBB – 86, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD41 T.V. NEWS READING 14 years & under

BHAVISHA DESAI – 87, CLASS WINNER

ALIYA JANNATY – 86

CLASS SD42 SOLO MIME 9 – 11 years

FREDDIE ROBB – 86, CLASS WINNER

JULIAN SHIRNIA – 85

CLASS SD43 SOLO MIME 12 – 14 years

ALIYA JANNATY – 85

FLORENCE SHIRNIA – 84

ELLIOT SHIRNIA – 86, CLASS WINNER

GUYON TRUSSELL – 83

AUGUSTA TRUSSELL – 84

CLASS SD45 DUO MIME 9 – 11 years

ELOISE STOKES & JESSICA MARTIN – 84, CLASS WINNERS

CLASS SD46 DUO MIME 15 YEARS & UNDER

ISABELLE MARTIN & ALICE CAVEY – 84

BEN GREEN & GUYON TRUSSELL – 85, CLASS WINNERS

JAMES VEALE & PETER COOPER – 84

CLASS SD49 SOLO PUBLIC SPEAKING 11 years & under

JULIAN SHIRNIA – 87, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD50 SOLO PUBLIC SPEAKING 15 years & under

ANEELA AHMED – 89, CLASS WINNER

NOORISHAH MOLEDINA – 88

ELLIOT SHIRNIA – 88

CLASS SD51 SOLO PUBLIC SPEAKING – 16 YEARS & OVER – OPEN

SAARIA AHMED – 85, CLASS WINNER

ANEELA AHMED received the XPRESS TRAIN TROPHY for the Highest Mark out of Classes SD43 SD44 SD45 SD46 & SD47

THE DOREEN ROOM MEMORIAL ROSE BOWL awarded to the most outstanding Solo Acting piece was awarded to THOMAS LOWDE at the Highlights Concert on Sunday 13th November 2011

THE CHAIRMAN’S TROPHY FOR ENTERPRISE for best overall performance, was awarded to SWINDON YOUNG ACTORS DEVISED GROUP 16 & UNDER at the Highlights Concert on Sunday 13th November 2011.

Festival Live – Saturday 12th November

Saturday 12th November at The Wootton Bassett Arts Festival will be a long day starting at 9.30am going all the way through to 7.30pm. There will be a HUGE variety of performances throughout the day in the following disciplines:

Drama

  • Devised Group Drama
  • Duologue Acting
  • Group Acting
  • Duologue Mime
  • Shakespeare Acting
  • Solo Acting
  • Verse Speaking
  • Memorised Prose
  • Sonnet
  • Prepared Bible Reading
  • Prepared Prose Reading
  • Television News Reading
  • Public Speaking

Creative Writing

  • Poetry
  • Sonnet
  • Short Story
  • Report Writing
  • Journalism

Classical Guitar

  • Solos by Grade
  • Duets by Grade
  • Ensemble
  • Duet accompanied by a teacher
  • Workshop

Full details are available in the Festival Programme which is on sale from Brian Taylor Music or at the Festival itself.

Winners in the Speech and Drama Section of the Wootton Bassett Arts Festival

The Speech and Drama section of the Wootton Bassett Arts Festival is only in its second year. We had a wonderful start in 2009 and increased our entry numbers again this year by an additional 20%. Here is a list of the results in this section of the Festival:

CLASS SD1 POEM 6 & 7 years

HARRIET SIMMONS – 85, CLASS WINNER

CHRISTIAN SKINNER – 83, 3rd Place

LIBERTY SHIRNIA – 84, 2nd Place

EVE PRIOR – 83, 3rd Place harriet-simmons-1


CLASS SD2 POEM 8 & 9 years

MICHAEL KIHARA – 82

AQIL JANNATY – 84, Joint 3rd Place

GREGORY STRANGWARD-PRYCE – 86, Joint 2nd Place

FREDDIE ROBB – 83

ALEXANDRA SIMMONS – 84, Joint 3rd Place

INDIA GAISFORD-CARTER – 81

LEAH BURN – 83, Joint 3rd Place

JULIAN SHIRNIA – 87, CLASS WINNER

ASHLEY LAM – 86, Joint 2nd Place

EMILY READ – 83

ANASTASIA CARRUTHERS – 83

KRISTIAN PRATT – 83

JULIAN SHIRNIA received THE PATRICIA READ TROPHY for gaining the Highest Mark out if classes SD1 and SD2


CLASS SD3 POEM 10 & 11 years

ARAN KAINTH – 84

BEN GREEN – 84

ELLIE WRIGHT – 85, 3rd Place

ELLA BURN – 86, 2nd Place

FLORENCE SHIRNIA – 87, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD4 POEM 12 & 13 years

BHAVISHA DESAI – 84

BONAMY SMITH – 83

SOPHIE KNIGHT – 82

FRANCESCA HAGGARTY – 85, 3rd Place

ALIYA JANNATY – 84

GUYON TRUSSELL – 83

OLIVIA BROWN – 86, 2nd Place

AUGUSTA TRUSSELL – 87, CLASS WINNER

FLORENCE SHIRNIA and AUGUSTA TRUSSELL received THE WBAF OVERALL TROPHY for gaining the Highest Mark out of Classes SD3 and SD4 – tied.


CLASS SD5 POEM 14, 15 & 16 years

RACHAEL KING – 84, 2nd Place

JULIA SMITH – 85, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD6 POEM 17 years and over – OPEN

MARGARET WILLIAMS – 89, CLASS WINNER

MARGARET WILLIAMS received THE ANDREW McDOWELL CUP for the Highest Mark out of Classes SD5 and SD6.


CLASS SD7 CHORAL/GROUP SPEAKING 10 years & under

PATRICIA READ JUNIOR CHORAL GROUP – 86, CLASS WINNERS

PRIOR PARK PREP. SCHOOL GROUP 1 – 83

CLASS SD8 CHORAL/GROUP SPEAKING 14 years & under

PRIOR PARK PRE. SCHOOL GROUP 2 – 84

PATRICIA READ INTERMEDIATE CHORAL GROUP – 85, CLASS WINNERS

CLASS SD9 SOLO ACTING 9 years and under

AQIL JANNATY – 84, 3rd Place

ISABEL ARCH – 83

FREDDIE ROBB – 86, 2nd Place

JULIAN SHIRNIA – 87, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD10 SOLO ACTING 10 & 11 years

LIZZIE DICKEN – 84, Joint 3rd Place

ELLA BURN – 82

EMILY BUCKLAND – 84, Joint 3rd Place

FLORENCE SHIRNIA – 86, CLASS WINNER

TOBY CHAMBERLAIN – 85, 2nd Place

ELLIE WRIGHT – 83

CLASS SD11 SOLO ACTING 12 & 13 years

SHAUNA WARREN-GRACE – 83

MOLLIE SOLEY – 83

EMMA BESSENT – 83

OLIVIA BROWN – 82

FRANCESCA HAGGARTY – 85, Joint 3rd Place

JESS MILLWARD – 85, Joint 3rd Place

BRITTANY WARD – 88, CLASS WINNER

EDWARD MAYNARD – 86, Joint 2nd Place

DAISY ROBB – 85,  Joint 3rd Place

ELLIOT SHIRNIA – 86, Joint 2nd Place

AUGUSTA TRUSSELL – 85, Joint 3rd Place brittany-ward-4

CLASS SD12 SOLO ACTING 14, 15 & 16 years

JULIA SMITH – 86

HOLLY LAMB – 87

RACHAEL KING – 86

EMILY ROBB – 88, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD13 SOLO ACTING 17 years and over – OPEN

MARGARET WILLIAM – 87

PHIL COOK – 89, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD14 SOLO SHAKESPEARE 14, 15 & 16 years

HOLLY LAMB – 83

HENRY GREEN – 83

EMILY ROBB – 84

RACHAEL KING – 85, CLASS WINNER

Playing Juliet from Romeo and Juliet

Playing Juliet from Romeo and Juliet

CLASS SD15 SOLO SHAKESPEARE 17 years & over – OPEN

PHIL COOK – 87

MARGARET WILLIAM – 89, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD16 DUOLOGUE ACTING 9 years & under

LIBERTY SHIRNIA & JULIAN SHIRNIA – 88, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD17 DUOLOGUE ACTING 11 years & under

ANASTASIA PIATEK & JENSON STOKES-DINE – 85

FLORENCE SHIRNIA & JULIAN SHIRNIA – 88, CLASS WINNERS

TOBY CHAMBERLAIN & HUGO RYDER – 86

CLASS SD18 DUOLOGUE ACTING 13 years & under

BEN GREEN & GUYON TRUSSELL – 83

MOLLIE SOLEY & ELLA GREENWOOD – 88, CLASS WINNERS

FRANCESCA HAGGARTY & OLIVIA BROWN – 84

ALIYA JANNATY & BHAVISHA DESA – 85, 3rd Place

DAISY ROBB & BONAMY SMITH – 83

BRITTANY WARD & SHAUNA WARREN-GRACE – 87, Joint 2nd Place

ELLIOT SHIRNIA & JULIAN SHIRNIA – 87, Joint 2nd Place molly-and-ella-4

CLASS SD19 DUOLOGUE ACTING 16 years & under

CALLUM EGAN & DANIEL PUGLSEY – 88, 2nd Place

MALLORY NICHOLSON & SAMANTHA FIRTH – 87, Joint 3rd Place

SHANNON O’BRIEN & TAYA BAXTER – 90, CLASS WINNERS

EMMA BESSENT & SUSSANA LESLIE – 86

JACK COOK & GRIFFIN MORDAK – 87, Joint 3rd Place

CLASS SD20 : DUOLOGUE ACTING – OPEN

THOMAS FLETCHER & ELISE PEARCE – 85

FREDDY SMITH & AMALIE SMITH – 86, CLASS WINNERS

CLASS SD22 GROUP ACTING 14 years & under

PATRICIA READ DRAMA GROUP – 87

THE ENTHUSIASTS – 90, CLASS WINNERS

CALNE BOYS’ GROUP – 87

...playing the Mad Hatter's Tea Party

...playing the Mad Hatter's Tea Party

CLASS SD23 GROUP ACTING 18 years and under

EMMA BESSENT, SUSSANA & NATHAN LESLIE – 87, CLASS WINNERS sussana-nathan-and-emma-1

CLASS SD24 GROUP ACTING – Senior OPEN

THE CLARENDON PLAYERS – 87, CLASS WINNERS

CLASS SD25 PREPARED PROSE READING 7 years & under

EVE PRIOR – 82

LIBERTY SHIRNIA  – 85, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD26 PREPARED PROSE READING 9 years & under

FREDDIE ROBB – 84

JULIAN SHIRNIA – 86, CLASS WINNER

ANASTASIA CARRUTHERS – 85

ASHLEY LAM – 84

JULIAN SHIRNIA received the WBAF OVERALL CUP for the Highest Mark out of Classes SD25 and SD26.

CLASS SD27 PREPARED PROSE READING 11 years & under

LIZZIE DICKEN – 84

EMILY BUCKLAND – 86, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD28 PREPARED PROSE READING 14 years & under

ALIYA JANNATY – 84

DAISY ROBB – 85, CLASS WINNER

EMILY BUCKLAND received the WBAF OVERALL CUP for the Highest Mark out of Classes SD27 and SD28.


CLASS SD29 PREPARED PROSE READING 16 years & under

EMILY ROBB – 88, CLASS WINNER

RACHAEL KING – 87

CLASS SD30 PREPARED PROSE READING 17 years & over – OPEN

MARGARET WILLIAMS – 90, CLASS WINNER

MARGARET WILLIAMS received the WBAF OVERALL CUP for the Highest Mark out of Classes SD29 and SD30.


CLASS SD31 MEMORISED PROSE 9 – 11 years

HUGO RYDER – 86

JULIAN SHIRNIA – 88, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD32 MEMORISED PROSE 12 – 15 years

ELLIOT SHIRNIA – 88, CLASS WINNER

AUGUSTA TRUSSELL – 84

CLASS SD34 PREPARED BIBLE READING 11 years & under

MATILDA WALE – 86

JULIAN SHIRNIA – 89, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD35 PREPARED BIBLE READING 15 years & under

ELLIOT SHIRNIA – 90, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD36 PREPARED BIBLE READING – OPEN

EMILY ROBB – 90

MARGARET WILLIAMS – 91, CLASS WINNER

MARGARET WILLIAMS received the BIBLE SOCIETY CUP for the Highest Mark our of Classes SD34 SD35 and SD36

CLASS SD37 T.V. NEWS READING 11 years & under

JULIAN SHIRNIA – 85, 2nd Place

ASHLEY LAM – 84, Joint 3rd Place

AQIL JANNATY – 84, Joint 3rd Place

EMILY BUCKLAND – 86, CLASS WINNER

GRACE HUNTER – 83

CLASS SD38 T.V. NEWS READING 14 years & under

AUGUSTA TRUSSELL – 83

BHAVISHA DESAI – 85, CLASS WINNER

ALIYA JANNATY – 84

The winner of class SD38 was awarded the Corinium Stoves Cup

CLASS SD39 SOLO MIME 9 – 11 years

JULIAN SHIRNIA – 86 ½, CLASS WINNER

BEN GREEN – 85, 3rd Place

ELLA BURN – 84

AQIL JANNATY – 83

FLORENCE SHIRNIA – 86, 2nd Place

CLASS SD40  SOLO MIME 12 – 14 years

ALIYA JANNATY – 83

BONAMY SMITH – 85

GUYON TRUSSELL – 83

ELLIOT SHIRNIA – 86, CLASS WINNER elliot-2

CLASS SD41 DUO MIME 9 – 12 years

AUGUSTA TRUSSELL & GUYON TRUSSELL – 84, CLASS WINNERS

CLASS SD43 SOLO PUBLIC SPEAKING 11 years & under

ISABEL ARCHER – 85, CLASS WINNER

CLASS SD44 SOLO PUBLIC SPEAKING 15 years & under

JAMES WARREN – 83

ELLIOT SHIRNIA – 90, CLASS WINNER

ALEXANDRA VEITCH – 84

KAROLINA BUTLANKSKA – 83

CLASS SD46 LOGICAL GRUMBLING – OPEN

CAMERON BELL – 85, CLASS WINNER

ELLIOT SHIRNIA received the XPRESS TRAIN TROPHY for the Highest Mark out of Classes SD43 SD44 SD45 SD46 & SD47


THE DOREEN ROOM MEMORIAL ROSE BOWL awarded to the most outstanding actor/actress in a group was awarded to LIBERTY SHIRNIA at the Highlights Concert on Sunday 13th June 2010 libby-doreen-room-memorial-trophy

THE CHAIRMAN’S TROPHY FOR ENTERPRISE was awarded to PHIL COOK at the Highlights Concert on Sunday 13th June 2010.

What’s on TODAY – Saturday 12th June

Today is SUPER SATURDAY!

It is the busiest day of the Festival with all four sections operating. Here’s the low down for what’s on in each area:

ART – the Exhibition opens at 9am on the Ground Floor of the Civic Centre. The Exhibition will end at 5.30pm and awards will be presented at 6.00pm. Collection of artwork will follow at 6.30pm. Please remember to bring your tickets so that we can be certain the correct artwork is paired with the correct artist!

CREATIVE WRITING – this is taking place in the Upper Room at the Memorial Hall. It runs between 12 noon and 1.30pm.

SPEECH AND DRAMA – performances start at 9.30am and run until approximately 5.00pm. Performances on show will include Verse Speaking, Duologue Acting, Solo Acting, Shakespeare Acting, Group Acting, TV News Reading, Solo Mime, Logical Grumbling, Prepared Reading, Memorised Prose, Duologue Mime, Bible Reading and Public Speaking.

MUSIC – continues in the Memorial Hall starting at 9.30am with Ensemble followed by Woodwind, Piano Duet, Family Groups, Piano Solos, Jazz, Strings and Brass. The last class of the day is Piano Solos which starts at 8.15pm.

REFRESHMENTS – will be on sale from 9am through to 4pm on the Ground Floor of the Civic Centre so pop by for your lunch or afternoon tea we will have filled rolls, tea, coffee, soft drinks, crisps, sweets, biscuits and HOME MADE CAKES.

Hints and Tips – Reading Aloud to an Audience

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.

Syllabus

Download the WOOTTON BASSETT ARTS FESTIVAL SYLLABUS 2012 (covering both the June and November Festivals) HERE.