Shakespeare Awards offer the opportunity to work one-to-one with a RADA tutor to present a speech, sonnet or scene from Shakespeare and get personal feedback to develop your skills and inspire your acting.
You need to have gained your Shakespeare Bronze Award to apply for Silver. Continue your Shakespeare Awards journey by performing a speech or – in pairs – a scene you have chosen from the list we provide, and a sonnet that you have chosen yourself. The Silver Award includes the opportunity to discuss your sonnet with your RADA tutor, touching on the delivery and nature of the piece you have chosen.
You should aim to have some awareness of all of Shakespeare’s sonnets. For notes on understanding, we particularly recommend the Penguin Shakespeare’s Sonnets edited by John Kerrigan; and, for contemporary insights, Reading Shakespeare’s Sonnets by Don Paterson. However, the sonnets sequence is readily available in most Complete Works and in many separate editions.
To gain the Silver Award, an achievement of 40 marks out of 70 marks is required.
During the assessment:
- You perform a speech. Pairs will present a scene.
- You will then be given some suggestions of things to try out to explore the text (you will need to have read or watched the play).
- You deliver your speech or scene again.
- You present a sonnet that you have chosen yourself.
- You will then have a discussion with your RADA tutor, touching on the delivery and nature of the sonnet chosen.
- You will also be given some suggestions of things to try out to explore the text.
- You deliver your sonnet again.
After the assessment:
- You will receive your results and any feedback by post within one month.
Normally on the first Saturday of each month. Please email for details regarding availability.
Assessment time: 20 minutes or 40 minutes for a pair
Designed for candidates 12+, however the assessment is suitable for adults of all ages
You may choose any of the speeches, regardless of gender
You must act from memory to gain your Award (without reading a script)
The next level to gain after completing the Silver Award is the Gold Award