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written by mezzo_soprano, June 24, 2007

another tip is to get a copy of the play with a "normal" english translation

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written by Caitlin, August 04, 2009

A note on the first point (about how to speak verse)- it's a very grey area, but a lot of actors/directors would argue that there is a difference between speaking Shakespearean verse and prose (and auditioners tend to request verse).

Essentially, there are two schools of thought: 1. thought breathing, and 2. line breathing.

1. (also "punctuation breathing") This is following the text as if there is not a line break. For example,

"You see me, Lord Bassanio, where I stand,
Such as I am: though for myself alone
I would not be ambitious in my wish,
To wish myself much better; yet, for you
I would be trebled twenty times myself..."

would be read as "You see me, Lord Bassanio, where I stand, such as I am. (pause) Though for myself alone, I would not be ambitious in my wish, to wish myself much better (pause) yet for you, I would be trebled twenty times myself" which is essentially the "natural" way to speak this.

2. This is the idea that a breath should be taken at the end of each line and NOT at mid-line punctuation. Mid-line punctuation can be a very small pause but not a full stop, so it would be read as

"You see me, Lord Bassanio, where I stand (pause) such as I am, though for myself alone (pause) I would not be ambitious in my wish (pause) to wish myself much better, yet for you (pause) I would be trebled twenty times myself."

There is a lot of debate as to which method is the "best". I've seen professional actors at both ends of the spectrum, and I've seen fantastic performances doing both of these methods. But I'd argue that it might be a good idea to try both of these methods while practicing an audition piece. What you end up doing in the end is completely up to what you feel comfortable with.

Speaking in the second way is often very unnatural at first, but I think it's worth a shot. Something that makes it easier for me: as an American, I tend to drop off line endings. If I go through my text and "lift" and put emphasis on the end line and THEN take a breath, it often feels much more natural (there will always be times when emphasis should not be placed on the last word, but it's a useful rehearsal thing). I also like the idea of finding the reason to say the next line in the breath between lines.

Haha. I'm by no means a professional actor. I just thought I would pass on the things I've learned, in case anyone finds them useful.