How can you tell if it went well or not?

[JTBmum]

Silly question, but if you have a recall for West End show, and have been told to learn 7 songs and then only sing one is this generally not a good sign?

[pg]

I am not hugely experienced and I don't have any experience of auditioning for West End musicals but there is one thing I have definitely learned from my own experience and from talking to others with more experience, and that is:

you can never know for certain a) what your chances are and b) what they thought of you

Some CDs and directors are warm, friendly and encouraging - and you get the chance to really show them what you can do. They give great feedback at the time and ask questions about your availability, how you feel about the job, tell you what is likely to happen in rehearsals etc. etc. - and you don't get the job.

Some CDs and directors are business-like or even cool and seemingly uninterested in you. You come out thinking: "well, that one clearly isn't mine" and then get a job offer.

I do guess right some of the time. But I have no real idea what has swung it my way. Occasionally I know I have just done a poor audition - those occasions haunt me a bit. I've never had a job offer when I've thought I've done a really poor audition. All I can do is kick myself and then try to learn from it and move on.

Sometimes I am confident that I've done quite a good job and get positive feedback - but I still don't get the job.

On the face of it, being asked to learn 7 songs and then only singing one, doesn't seem great does it? But I just don't think you can tell. They may have heard enough to make a positive decision with just one song.

[JTBmum]

Thanks for that pg, Ill keep you posted. In the meantime another audition has come up with a load of sides and a script to read. Lots of work goes into all these auditions and I suppose its vital to keep positive

[Fruitcake]

I totally agree, PG.

DS has been to auditions where they have told him that he is perfect for the role, exactly what they are looking for etc etc.......and then he's never heard another thing.

On the other hand, he has also been to some where he has been in and out in a few minutes with hardly any comment or reaction from the CD and he has landed the job!

My advice would be to try and forget about the one you've already done and concentrate on the next one coming up.............and always remember that if you don't get a role it is because you weren't suitable for it, not that you weren't good enough.

[geordiegirl]

Fingers crossed for your very talented DD, JTBmum. Let us know how it goes.

[weed]

Hello JTBmum , I think it's one of the mysteries of all this stuff so much so that I wrote this http://bit.ly/mysteriesofcasting and this http://bit.ly/waitymatters for Spotlight about just this subject, although it's practically impossible to do it the key thing is to forget about it once it's done - and if anyone knows a foolproof way of doing that please share it!

[JTBmum]

Yes, forget about it once its done is definitely the right course, if you can manage it! And I'll read your posts weed.

DD hasn't heard anything back yet and is busy working on her forthcoming audition, in addition to her Front of House job and having to do an audition for promotions work!

In the meantime DS has had a casting today and came out saying he thought the director didn't like him! In addition to being only in there a short time! I have this thing where Im hanging around waiting every time he has a casting, praying he'll stay in there for ages as I always think the longer they stay in the more hopeful. Although once I waited for about an hour and a half and it was just because the casting director was running late, which meant dd was just very hungry and quite cross!

[JTBmum]

Forgot to mention, I suppose its a good idea to have some questions up your sleeve if you are asked if you have any questions, as with job interviews, I think you are supposed to appear interested and to have thought about the position.