Expert: FRANCIS LYNCH - 3/5/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi Francis,

I'm 22 years old and have wanted to be on stage singing and acting since I was little. But I am from a very practical family who have worked as accountants, financial advisors, etc.
I never persued anything to do with acting and apart from a few singing lessons and a year in a youth theatre I have no training or experience.
But now I am at an age where I've worked as a runner for tv, I would love to be behind the camera for tv or backstage in theatre but mostly because I wish it was me up there.

Is it too late to start now? I am already planning on classically training my voice (for my own interest as much as anything else). If I started joining amature dramatic societies and such would I ever be able to train at rada or lamda?

I have no idea but is it worth trying or is it too late to start now?

Thank you

Charlotte

ANSWER: HI CHARLOTTE,

NO OF COURSE IT'S NOT TOO LATE, EVERY DRAMA SCHOOL IN THE COUTRY WELCOMES MORE MATURE STUDENTS. BUT BE REALLY SURE IT'S A FUTURE YOU WANT TO PERSUE, HARDSHIP, LONG HOURS ETC. ETC.  EVERYBODY STARTS WITH AN INTEREST IN AMATUER SOCIETIES OR 'THE DRAMA GROUP' AT SCHOOL, THATS WHERE THE BUG STARTED FOR ME, AS AN ACTOR IN THE DRAMA GROUP AT SCHOOL, I REALISED PRETTY SOON THAT I WAS A CRAP ACTOR AND MUCH BETTER AT THE TECHNICAL STUFF.

DRAMA SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES SEEM TO ME TO BE CYCLICAL IN THEIR SUCCESS RATES OR POPULARITY. WHEN I WAS YOUNG IT WAS MOUNTVIEW AND WBBER DOUGLAS THAT WERE PRODUCING THE BEST STAGE MANAGEMENT, WHILST THE BEST ACTORS WERE COMING OUT OF GUILDHALL AND BRISTOL OLD VIC,
THEN CENTRAL WAS THE BEST FOR ACTORS AND RADA FOR STAGE MANAGEMENT.
IT KEEPS  CHANGING SO IT'S DIFFICULT TO KNOW WHERE IS BEST, AND OF COURSE WHERE YOU CAN GET IN....

I THINK CURRENTLY ONE OF THE BEST COURSES FOR ACTORS IS MANCHESTER METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY AND STAGE MANAGERS ARE CURRENTLY COMING FROM
L.A.M.B.D.A., BUT WHOS TO SAY THATS GONNA BE THE CASE IN A YEARS TIME?

GET A COPY OF 'CONTACTS' IT GIVES YOU THE ADDRESSES OF EVERY THEATRE, PRODUCER, T.V. COMPANY AND DRAMA SCHOOL IN THE COUNTRY, A GOOD PLACE TO START.

I WISH YOU ALL THE BEST

REGARDS

FRANCIS



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for your reply. It was really helpful. I'll get a copy of 'contacts' and start looking through.

I have no idea if I am good at acting or not to be honest. I got an A in drama at GCSE but I have always been good at essays so it doesn't mean much.

I know that I can sing and although I can't dance to save my life I am soon going to be starting ballet and street dance to change that as well as classical singing training.

I know about the hours as my cousin is an ASM in opera in London (at the Royal Albert Hall)who graduated from LAMDA and I have worked as a runner in television and am happy with night shifts and 18 hour days. I think it may even be how I work best.

I am nervous about the over flooded industry though. I know from my cousin how tough it is to get work in theatre and from my own searches within the tv industry.

How is it best to approach this? Should I start applying for classes and courses or is it best to join amateur theatre to start with?

Thank you so much

Answer
HI,

I WOULD APPLY FOR PROSPECTUSES FROM ALL OF THE SCHOOLS YOU THINK MIGHT BE GOOD FOR YOU, EVALUATE THE COSTS AND TRY AUDITIONING FOR A FEW, REMEMBER THEY WON'T PAY YOUR TRAVEL EXPENSES, BUT, BY THE SAME TOKEN NONE OF THEM SHOULD COST YOU ANYTHING OTHER THAN TRAVEL.  PREPARE (WELL) SOME AUDITION PIECES THAT SUIT YOUR AGE AND RANGE THEN SEE WHAT THEY SAY. IF YOU GET UNIVERSAL "No's" FROM THEM ALL THEN JOIN AN AMATEUR OR YOUTH THEATRE GROUP AND GET SOME EXPERIENCE THAT WAY.  YOU MUST KNOW IN YOUR HEART OF HEARTS THAT THIS IS WHAT YOU WANNA DO, IF IT IS, YOU WILL ONLY GET BETTER AT IT.

GOOD LUCK.

FRANCIS