LAMDA Performance Techniques 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: In a LAMDA devised performance, what does 'physical theatre' primarily emphasise?
- Lengthy spoken monologues as the main storytelling tool
- The body as the primary instrument for expressing narrative and emotion (Correct answer)
- Reading from a script held in the performer's hand
- Set design as the most important theatrical element
Correct answer: The body as the primary instrument for expressing narrative and emotion
Physical theatre prioritises movement, gesture, and the expressive body over dialogue to communicate story, character, and emotion.
Question 2: What does 'breaking the fourth wall' mean in performance?
- Destroying a prop on stage intentionally
- A performer directly acknowledging or addressing the audience (Correct answer)
- Exiting through an unexpected door on the set
- Forgetting lines and improvising
Correct answer: A performer directly acknowledging or addressing the audience
Breaking the fourth wall occurs when a performer acknowledges the presence of the audience, collapsing the boundary between the fictional world and reality.
Question 3: In LAMDA communication and performance grades, what does 'clarity of purpose' mean for a speaker?
- Choosing the longest possible speech for examination
- Having a clear intention and ensuring the audience understands the point being made (Correct answer)
- Speaking quickly to cover more material
- Using only formal vocabulary throughout
Correct answer: Having a clear intention and ensuring the audience understands the point being made
Clarity of purpose means the performer knows exactly what effect they want to have on the audience and structures their delivery accordingly.
Question 4: Which Stanislavski concept encourages actors to ask 'What do I want in this moment?' during performance?
- Emotional memory
- Objective (or intention) (Correct answer)
- The magic if
- Ensemble work
Correct answer: Objective (or intention)
The objective is what a character wants to achieve in a given moment or scene, driving all action and informing every choice the actor makes.
Question 5: A LAMDA candidate performing a duologue must demonstrate 'listening and reacting.' Why is genuine listening important?
- It allows the performer to cue the lighting operator
- It makes responses truthful and spontaneous rather than mechanical (Correct answer)
- It lets the performer memorise their partner's lines too
- It helps the examiner identify who is speaking
Correct answer: It makes responses truthful and spontaneous rather than mechanical
Genuine listening ensures that a performer's reactions appear natural and motivated, reflecting how real human interaction works rather than rote delivery.
Question 6: What is 'tempo-rhythm' as used in LAMDA and Stanislavski-based performance training?
- The genre of music played before a show
- The speed and internal pulse that shapes how a character moves and speaks (Correct answer)
- The number of beats in a musical score
- A method for counting audience members
Correct answer: The speed and internal pulse that shapes how a character moves and speaks
Tempo-rhythm describes the pace and inner energy of a character's actions and speech, reflecting their emotional and psychological state.
Question 7: For a LAMDA Poetry examination, why is it important to understand the context in which a poem was written?
- Examiners require a written essay about the poem's era
- Contextual understanding informs interpretive choices and makes the performance more meaningful (Correct answer)
- It allows the student to skip less familiar stanzas
- Examiners award extra marks for mentioning historical dates
Correct answer: Contextual understanding informs interpretive choices and makes the performance more meaningful
Understanding a poem's context — historical, biographical, or cultural — deepens interpretation and helps performers make specific, grounded choices in delivery.
LAMDA Performance Techniques 3
In a LAMDA devised performance, what does 'physical theatre' primarily emphasise?