I’ve been to my fair share of auditions. This was especially true around the mayhem of May Week, during which I once lost track of time at a garden party with a good supply of free wine, and ended up running all the way to Corpus Playroom in a floor-length dress (shockingly, the result was not my strongest audition performance). I say this to establish my credentials as an imparter of audition-related wisdom – and in particular, how we can make the experience of auditioning as positive as possible. This is especially important for newcomers, as the first few auditions you go to are bound to shape how you feel about Cambridge theatre as a whole. I know that if you’re part of a core prod team and are watching auditions, you’ve probably been on the other side in your time as well, but feel free to take this as a reminder of what that’s like. Auditioning is daunting enough as it is, so here are my pointers for making it as comfortable as possible:

Make redirects manageable

In my experience, this is the scariest part of any audition. It’s a big change from practicing in the mirror: you’re expected to adjust your entire interpretation of the extract in light of a few words from someone sitting in front of you, and in the space of a couple of seconds. So, it’s really helpful if you’re given something solid to work with! This means I don’t want vague abstract descriptors (“Can you make it a bit more [x]?”), or simply more contextual information from the play; make it something distinct. On the other end of the spectrum, though, it’s easy to freeze up if you’re given something very left-field and specific, so aim for the middle ground. And if you’re asking for something really bold and different just to test an actor’s range, it’s good to know that.

“The first few auditions you go to are bound to shape how you feel about Cambridge theatre as a whole”

Let people know who will be in the room

I’ve heard some horror stories from friends walking into audition rooms, only to be unexpectedly confronted with a panel of five people. This is probably unnecessary to point out, but it’s advisable to give auditionees advance notice if there are going to be more than the standard two or three people in the room. You don’t really want to suddenly feel like you’ve walked into some kind of disciplinary hearing. Knowing in advance who to expect also helps auditionees prepare themselves for coming face-to-face with someone they know in this new context (which is of course bound to happen quite regularly in our small theatrical world).

Help with finding the audition room

This may seem quite basic, but I’m not ashamed to admit that I sometimes find locating the room the most daunting part of going to an audition. This might be related to my tendency to feel a little out of place wandering around older and grander colleges as a Robinson student, but nevertheless! I’m pretty practiced at explaining my business to porters and asking for assistance now, but I still appreciate some specific directions and maybe a map in an audition pack. And you can let people know that if they get really lost they can email you – or just call your name really loudly.

“Auditioning is a brave act of putting yourself out there”

Consider doing workshop auditions

I don’t know how popular an opinion this is, but I’m a big fan of workshop-style auditions. I know it isn’t as convenient for those of us who are busy and can only spare a ten-minute slot (this is an Engling speaking after all), but I’d like to see more of this format. It’s less daunting than just walking in and performing a monologue by yourself. You feel less exposed, and you can get to know the people you’re auditioning in front of. It can even make for a fun break in your day. And it’s often an excuse to play the drama games many of us remember fondly.

Give out rejections

This is a really big one. No-one wants to find out they haven’t made it into a show by seeing the cast list go up on Camdram. Rejection is never fun or easy, but being told it’s a no at least makes you feel respected. It’s not that hard to send out what is essentially the same email to a group of people, and it means auditionees can move on and plan for next term accordingly. In general, too, letting them know when they can expect to hear back (and sticking to it as far as possible) is much appreciated.

And on a final note, as cliché as it sounds, a friendly smile does go a long way when you’re nervous! Auditioning is a brave act of putting yourself out there, so little things can make people feel like they weren’t silly to show up in the first place.