At Shiplake we offer pupils the opportunity to take up LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art) classes. They are open to students across all year groups and help to improve confidence as well as communication and performance skills. Students can gain a well-established grades based qualification and for Grade 6 and above they count towards UCAS points for university entry.
LAMDA at Shiplake
LAMDA lessons are available in Communication, Acting and Public Speaking throughout the year during term time. They are 30 minutes long and normally rotated so that students do not miss the same academic lesson each week. Lessons can be in pairs or private.
Book Musical Theatre LAMDA Lessons with Verity or Julie
At Shiplake, examination days are run at Easter, Christmas or in the Summer Term, giving the students plenty of time to prepare in the correct manner.
About LAMDA
LAMDA is an awarding organisation which aims to deliver internationally recognised qualifications in communication and performance while inspiring young people through examinations in Drama, Literacy and Poetry. LAMDA believes that Drama has the power to transform lives and wants to share their experience through training, qualifications, work, productions and facilities.
LAMDA has provided theatre and the world of film and television with generation upon generation of first-class actors and expertly trained stage managers across the world. In addition to be the UK’s largest statutory speech and drama awarding body, LAMDA Examinations has a reputation for excellence across the globe. Its mission is to:
- Improve standards in communication through the spoken word
- Foster an appreciation of literature, poems and drama
- Acknowledge levels of achievement
- Support the creative, intellectual and social development of the individual
Pupils at Shiplake College can work as solos, duos or small groups and choose from a variety of Graded skills including:
- Acting
- Verse & Prose
- Shakespeare
- Speaking in Public
- Devising
- Musical Theatre (lessons with Verity Ault or Julie Kench)
LAMDA examinations are designed to equip candidates, whatever their age or aspirations, with a range of skills that will serve them throughout life. Pupils will develop confidence to present themselves with clarity and expression. As well as specific performance skills, pupils will gain a broad knowledge and appreciation of plays and literature to support core education, and will hopefully find lessons fun, practical and empowering.
At Shiplake College pupils have the choice to take LAMDA examinations on site, which are graded up to Grade 8 Gold medal. Medal grades (6, 7 & 8) carry valuable UCAS points, and classes can be used as skills for Duke of Edinburgh.
Options in LAMDA will be discussed in classes and tailored to give pupils best possible outcomes for progress, confidence and skills.
- Level 1 covers Grades 1 to 3: These are a great starting place for those new to Acting and LAMDA, giving all the fundamental skills needed.
- Level 2 covers Grades 4 & 5: These exams require more knowledge of text and theory, as well as the core performance skills from Level 1. Pieces are slightly longer and new challenges are designed to further skills and knowledge.
- Level 3 covers Medals: Grades 6 Bronze, Grade 7 Silver, Grade 8 Gold: These all carry UCAS points (Distinction Gold carries 30 UCAS points) and each one is more challenging in terms of content and knowledge. Gold Medal Acting, for example, is three acting pieces, plus in-depth verbal answers on a chosen practitioner, characterisation processes, and knowledge of a chosen play. Pupils receive a certificate and a metal pin LAMDA medal for all medal exams.
There is currently no written theory on LAMDA. It is all done verbally in a question and answer session at the end after performing.
LAMDA Teachers
Mrs Amber Lucazeau
Mrs Amber Lucazeau graduated from Guildford School of Acting (3 Year Acting) and worked professionally in the industry for 25 years with leading roles in theatre (West End, regional and touring theatres), television, commercials and voice overs under her professional Equity name (Amber Edlin). She has worked with some wonderful actors such as Dame Judi Dench and Sir Ian McKellen, and has been in a variety of productions and programmes from classical plays to modern comedies, soaps to TV drama. She has also worked as a children’s casting director and maintains good links to the industry, most recently casting the children in Gypsy and The Whistling for The Mill at Sonning Theatre. She has been teaching both children and adults LAMDA for many years in schools and she aims to share her passion for plays, literature, acting and communication to give her pupils a sense of achievement, creativity, fun and confidence in their work.
If you have any questions please contact Amber at [email protected].
Verity Auty (Musical Theatre)
Verity Auty (BMus (hons) RNCM MMus GSMD) studied at the National Opera Studio and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She started her career in the Glyndebourne Chorus and went on to sing roles with the major UK opera companies such as Grange Park Opera and Scottish Opera. She also took part in major education projects with companies such as Garsington and Glyndebourne. She still performs regularly. While still at school she won the International Musical Theatre Award in Rome.
Verity has taught for over 20 years and currently teaches at Lambrook, Heathfield, Shiplake College and privately. She has great experience with the ABRSM, Trinity and Rock School exams as well as preparing students for GCSE and A-Level Music. She also prepares students for professional work and has taught two Matilda’s in the West End as well as having two students at major performing arts colleges with Andrew Lloyd Webber Scholarships
Email: [email protected]
Julie Kench (Musical Theatre)
Julie was born in Cheshire and studied Music and Drama at Brunel University and then after several years working in Light Entertainment she studied for a Postgraduate Certificate and Advanced Diploma in Performance at Trinity College of Music, London where she holds the 2003 Ricordi Opera Prize. Alongside her various operatic roles, Julie also sings with many choral societies and vocal ensembles around the country performing Oratorio works and running workshops.
In 2004 Julie joined the International Acappella group The Swingle Singers. During her 5 years in the group she toured all over the world. Julie has sung Berio’s Sinfonia with some of the world’s best conductors and orchestras, including Zubin Mehta with Vienna Philharmonic and Antonio Pappano with Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia with whom she also performed at the BBC Proms at the Albert Hall. Julie’s versatility has enabled her to take on singing projects in many genres. She worked alongside composer/beatboxer Shlomo creating the vocal soundtrack to Alfred Hitchcock's Downhill. She works as a session singer with London Voices and Audio Network recording soundtracks and incidental music including the films The Hobbit and Harry Potter Deathly Hallows.
Julie started her teaching career with Berkshire Maestros working in both secondary and Primary schools and since 2009 has worked at Queen Anne’s School in Caversham and The Abbey School, Reading and more recently teaching privately at home.
Email: [email protected]