what we mean by ‘connection’ to your speeches
It’s a term that comes up pretty regularly in auditions - especially drama school auditions where you get to selection your own material.
The concept of connection baffles some people so I thought I’d try to set the record straight on what a panel mean.
Basically what we mean is truth. That you as an Actor can transport yourself to the subject and character truthfully so that you believe wholeheartedly in what you are saying.
When we see someone getting their heart broken, speaking passionately through a megaphone at a protest, saying I love you and meaning it - they all have connection to what they are saying, the environment and people they are saying it to.
Below are some ways that you can begin to find speeches you connect to.
lived experience
Defined as a history or background that relates directly to the experience of the character you are portraying in your speech. Ask yourself, do you have direct lived experience of the circumstance you are exploring in the speech? Experience can deepen and inform your choices in a more truthful way than having no direct knowledge. You are able to flesh out thought process, motivation and trigger reactions than someone who doesn’t have any memory or exposure to the subject matter or events. I would be mindful of using and exploring lived experience that is extremely upsetting and traumatic. If certain aspects of a person’s past have not been dealt with and processed in a safe and healthy way then they are likely not going to be the best things to be exploring in a creative way. I would advice avoiding those in this case and seek to process trauma in a way that leads to healing.
relatability
Failing having direct lived experience of the characters and circumstance, relatability can be the next step in finding connection to a speech, character and circumstance. Can you draw parallels in your own experience to find connections in another through empathy? This can be in many ways. Take for example if the character has been sentenced to prison and walks into the cafeteria and sees all the other inmates looking at them. This is a scary, isolating and potentially dangerous situation that most people don’t have lived experience of. If, however, you have had the experience of beginning at a new high school midway through the academic year and walked into your new classroom to be confronted by too many sets of eyes looking at you, you might be able to find some parallel and relatability to be able to take an empathic and imaginative leap into the inmate’s thinking when they walk into the cafeteria. The circumstances are vastly different but by drawing on what experience you do already have you can work towards gaining truthful connection to the new circumstance.
something you find exciting
I would always encourage you to be finding material for auditions that you find exciting. Your interest in the subject, character or topic will sustain you through the audition season and motivate you to continue to mine for more things to play with within the text. A subject or character that you find inspiring or fascinating can offer connection as you’ll be interested to get under the scenario and thought process of the character more. Never pick material that you don’t find lights you up.
something you believe in
Whether that is social, political, religious, spiritual, moral etc, if you feel a sense of belief in a subject then you can find connection to the speech much easier and it will likely offer stronger ways of playing the text. If believe in gender equality, protection of animals, putting a stop to global warming, God uniting nations, that Downing street shouldn’t be having parties during lockdown, WHATEVER! If you can find a speech that speaks on subjects you care deeply about then the connection is already present and the truth and passion can flow through you using the words as the transport.