Graded Exams for Performance: Acting
About the Acting exam
Our Acting Exam learners develop their vocal, physical and interpretive skills while they delve into characters and explore the background of dramatic texts. Alongside producing authentic performances of their chosen scenes, they also gain an understanding of the context and characters within them.
Working through the grades takes our learners through the development of clear speaking and character portrayal to an understanding of a playwright’s style, the influence of theatre practitioners such as Stanislavski and a sensitive appreciation of subtext.
Learners can take their exam in a solo, duologue or combined format. The combined format is available for Level 1 and 2 Exams only.
- Solo: one learner delivers two monologues on their own (three monologues for Grades 7 and 8)
- Duologue: two learners perform two duologues (three duologues for Grade 7 and 8)
- Combined: two learners perform one monologue each and one duologue together (three scenes in total).
All Solo Acting exams are available online.
LAMDA is recognised to award qualifications on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) in England by the Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual), in Wales by Qualifications Wales (QiW), and in Northern Ireland by the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA).
What does the exam involve?
Type of exam: Solo or Duologue
Time allowance: Solo: 10 minutes, Duologue: 15 minutes
- Performing one own choice scene from memory
- Answering questions related to their performance
Please see the syllabus for full details.
Type of exam: Solo, Duologue or Combined
Time allowance: Solo: 15 minutes, Duologue: 20 minutes, Combined: 25 minutes
- Perform one set scene and one own choice scene from memory
- Answering questions related to their performances
Please see the LAMDA Performance Graded Examinations Syllabus (2019) for full details.
Type of exam: Solo, Duologue or Combined
Time allowance: Solo: 20 minutes, Duologue: 30 minutes, Combined: 35 minutes
- Performing one set scene and one own choice scene from memory
- Answering questions related to their performances
Please see the LAMDA Performance Graded Examinations Syllabus (2019) for full details.
Type of exam: Solo or Duologue
Time allowance:
Grade 6: Solo: 25 minutes, Duologue: 35 minutes
Grade 7: Solo: 30 minutes, Duologue: 40 minutes
Grade 8: Solo: 30 minutes, Duologue: 45 minutes
- Performing two own choice scenes at Grade 6 and three scenes at Grades 7 and 8. Scenes must be selected from a published play or television/film screenplay, within specified time periods
- Answering questions related to their performance
Please see the LAMDA Performance Graded Examinations Syllabus (2019).
Requirements
Full details of the requirements, assessment criteria and regulations for each grade can be found in the LAMDA Performance Graded Examinations Syllabus.
2024 (in effect for examinations from 1 August 2024)
As part of the 2024 Syllabus update, Learners are able to perform all pieces in the new Acting Anthology Volume 5 and previous Acting Anthology Volume 4, and all pieces in the new Verse and Prose Anthology Volume 20 and Verse and Prose Anthology Volume 19, for first assessment from 1 August 2024.
Resources & Teaching Materials
Explore our FAQs, resources and support materials related to this examination below.
All our syllabi listed below are available for free via download, or you can purchase our full range of publications from our online shop.
You will need:
- Performance Syllabus from August 2024 (for examinations from 1 August 2024)
- Acting Anthology Volume 4 or Volume 5
These might also be useful:
- Teacher support material for graded examinations in performance, which can be found in our Download Centre
- Knowledge Matters Volume 3
- Monologues for Young Actors (Grade 5 and below)
- Acting Anthology Volume 3
The list of set pieces for each Exam can be found in the corresponding syllabi for each exam. You can download the syllabi as a free pdf via our Download Centre or visit our online shop.
We are unable to verify the suitability of own choice pieces, please refer to the Exam Content and Assessment and Grading Criteria detailed for the exam subject and grade entered.
There are no restrictions to a learner performing an own choice piece from a play/feature film that has been published in the current LAMDA Acting Anthology – Volume 5, so long as the learner’s chosen piece is not the same scene as that set in the current LAMDA Acting Anthology - Volume 5.
Own Choice pieces must not share any text with Set Pieces published in the current LAMDA Acting Anthology – Volume 5.
Please ensure the piece chosen enables the learner to meet the assessment criteria and answer the knowledge questions.
There is no requirement for learners to adopt an accent for a piece that has been written for a character with a particular dialect or accent, providing that the piece still makes sense and the authors intent is still clear. If the learner does choose to adopt an accent, this must be sustained throughout the piece ensuring fluency and focus are not affected.
For Entry Level, Level 1 and Level 2 modern adaptations or translations of non-English language texts are acceptable as there are no specific timeframes or periods that the pieces need to be selected from – the learners just need to perform one set scene from the current Acting Anthology and one scene of their own choice.
For Level 3 examinations (Grades 6, 7, and 8), where it is a requirement to select scenes from plays written during set timeframes/periods, translations of non-English language texts into English are acceptable and where a translation is used, you would use the publication date of the original publication and not the date of the translation you are using. If you are using a modern adaptation of an earlier piece, such as Jean Anouilh’s version of Antigone written in the 1940s, then as this is a new version of the play and not a translation, you would use the publication date of the adaptation.
We define a translation as “The original text of a non- English- language play that has been translated into English”. Whereas we define an adaptation as “a play, television screenplay or film screen-play that has been based on or devised from an earlier or pre-existing text, usually retaining some element of the original. (For example, Jean Anouilh’s version of Antigone).
Full costume is not permitted, but long practice skirts which help to indicate/suggest period may be worn together with small costume items such as scarves, hats, shawls, gloves, canes. Clothing and footwear should be suitable for the work presented and comfortable where possible, allowing freedom of movement. Learners should not go barefoot unless the part absolutely demands it and nudity is not permitted. Regarding the use of props, small items are permitted but must be kept to a minimum so as not to overburden the learner.
It should be noted that learners are not permitted to leave the examination room (or leave frame – for ROA exams) once the examination has started.
There are no restrictions with learners using a scene from a one act play as long as there is sufficient material within the play for the learner to be able to meet all of the assessment criteria including the discussion element within the knowledge section. If you feel there is not enough material for the learner to be able to do this, we would suggest seeking an alternative.
Regarding the use of strong language in examinations, LAMDA has no restrictions on this. However, it is advised that the learner is mature enough to understand the context in which they are being used within the text, and the style and intent of the playwright is maintained.
Learners may be reassured that Examiners will assess accurately and objectively against the assessment criteria regardless of the content of a piece.
For feature films, the learners would not be able to transcribe the scene from the film. The scene must come from a published film screenplay, either in hard copy or online. For the online screenplay publications, the screenplay must be published from the original author or film production company.
A television serial is a story which is broadcast on television in a number of parts over a period of time.
The reason we do not allow Learners to use a serial is because the character arcs and story lines are on-going. Even if a character has been written off, the character could return at any point and their story line revisited. Also, in the era of reboots, many TV shows which had previously concluded have been revitalised and the character arcs and story lines continued. Those shows which have not yet been rebooted may be revisited at any point during the course of the syllabus being in effect.
Where there is no definite ending for a character or story lines, the Learner cannot answer the Knowledge question on: “The character’s role within the context of each play as a whole.”
Yes, pieces from previous anthologies can be used. Please ensure the final piece used enables the learner to meet the assessment criteria and answer the knowledge questions.
In regard to the acting examinations there are cases where spoken dialogue from a musical can be used, we ask teachers to carefully review the syllabus to ensure that all other requirements listed are checked and met. As long as the monologue is from the dialogue of the musical, and is not adapted from any of the songs/song lyrics, the piece meets all of the requirements of the grade (including the date for level 3) this may be permitted. Please ensure the piece chosen allows the learners to meet the assessment criteria and answer the knowledge questions.
We have no age restrictions on our exams, we encourage the teacher and learner to make a judgment based on the ability and requirements of each learner.
There are no restrictions to a learner performing an own choice piece from a play/feature film that has been published in the current LAMDA Acting Anthology so long as pieces do not share any text with Set Pieces published in the current LAMDA Acting Anthology – Volume 5. Please ensure the piece chosen enables the learner to meet the assessment criteria and answer the knowledge questions.
No, novel adaptations are not permitted for level 3 acting exams.
For the purposes of these qualifications, LAMDA defines a feature film as a narrative film, over 60 minutes in length that has been released to the public.
No, we do not offer combined exams at level 3.
We have no restrictions on learners using pieces by the same author, providing the pieces presented are from different texts and they allow the learner to meet the assessment criteria, answer the knowledge questions and comply with the regulations.
No, learners can only play one character.
When assessing if a piece fits within the correct time frame we only consider the date that the piece was first published, and not the date of any subsequent reprints or editions. The only exception to this would be if considerable new material has been added.
Please see our FAQ regarding the use of translations/adaptations for further information on the use of texts not originally published in English.
As the Awarding Body we are unable to suggest specific pieces. We ask that teachers use their experience when selecting pieces to ensure the piece enables the learner to meet the assessment criteria and answer the knowledge questions fully.
Edits can be made to own choice pieces, as long as the piece still makes sense, and the authors intent is still clear. You can remove a character’s lines to make a duologue scene a monologue. You can also edit two monologues together, as long as the two monologues are originally spoken by the same character within the play. You cannot combine two monologues spoken by different characters. Learners can only play one character in each scene.
Please ensure the final piece used enables the learner to meet the assessment criteria and answer the knowledge questions.
