Jamie Lyall

This is our final student blog for this year folks!
Thank you all for being a wonderful audience to our student blogs and we hope you enjoyed reading all our different perspectives and experiences with ATS.

It's not too late to buy tickets (though buy soon - Thursday and Friday evening are almost sold out already!) http://questors.org.uk/event.aspx?id=747

Also final call for anybody wanting to audition for ATS. Our audition dates are Friday 6th & 13th July. Apply via our website https://www.artiststheatreschool.com/

This final blog comes from student of three years, Jamie Lyall.

See you all at the show, and join us for our rehearsal blog in 2019!!


JAMIE:

" This is my third year at ATS. I previously played Lord Arlington in 'Nell Gwynn' (2017) and had three contrasting roles in 'Table' (2016): David Best (a wounded soul), Chris (a hippy) and an African leopard (a challenging movement study). I feel very fortunate to have again been given three diverse parts in our latest production.  

In 'Red Peppers' I play Bert Bentley, a seasoned conductor of the vaudeville theatre. In 'Hands Across the Sea' I am Lieut. Commander Alastair Corbett (RN) and in 'Still Life' I make a brief appearance as a young man. 

These plays come from a collection of one-act plays by Noel Coward presented under the title 'Tonight at 8.30'. They were written as an acting, singing and dancing showcase for himself and his friend, the actress Gertrude Lawrence. They toured England performing three of the nine plays each evening, in various combinations, allowing them to enjoy playing contrasting parts each night. Coward had also wanted to advance the status of the one-act play believing the succinct plots and character-arcs could have all the heart, depth and punch (but none of the excess) of a three-act play.

Performing Coward has been a new challenge. His writing style is so distinct it's a genre in itself: a witty and astute expose of English society, it is a unique observation of his time. The text is peppered with wit which requires skilled timing and diction if the audience is to be given a chance to appreciate it.

The weekly rehearsals are our training ground. Amanda is there every Saturday to get the best from us whether it be through reinforcing fundamentals or giving us master-class tips. We learn as much from the advice given to others as we do from what is said to us. It is also fascinating to burrow deeper and deeper into the texts, mining them to uncover all the hidden detail, meaning and subtext. I am so glad to have been involved in the rehearsal process for all three plays.   

At the end of each rehearsal, we are given personal notes on what to practice during the week and expected to lift our performance accordingly when next in the studio. You need full concentration and motivation to do this work and meet Amanda's exacting expectations. This is the legacy of ATS, not a summer showcase, but the example and standards Amanda sets in commitment, attitude and work-ethic. That's a lesson I will remember long after we have taken our final bow in July. 

ATS is a unique drama school. We benefit from one term of workshops with visiting teachers (including professional actors) followed by two terms of being directed towards a full scale production by Amanda Redman. Classes are held on Saturday's enabling us to work full time during the week. 

Having professional actors give up their time and energy to share with you the benefit of their own training and experience is a privilege that is impossible to take for granted, even after three years. Their guidance is expert: they can assess your strengths and weaknesses instantly and give you the tailored, individual feedback you need to keep improving week after week. The benchmark is professional and this is never forgotten. The consequence of this ethos is that there is always room for improvement and you will always be guided and pushed to stretch yourself further. You will not be mollycoddled - when you are given a positive note you know it is genuine and that you have earned it. There is a camaraderie among the students that allows for support and encouragement whenever someone's confidence waivers. I would recommend ATS to anyone who wants to challenge themselves to develop as an actor in a professional environment. " 

- Jamie Lyall

ATS' production of 'Tonight at 8.30' directed by Amanda Redman will run from the 19th - 21st July at Questors Theatre in Ealing. Tickets available from here http://questors.org.uk/event.aspx?id=747

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