Evaluation of AP3 The Monodrama

EVALUATION OF AP3 THE MONODRAMA
@ TAMPINES CHANGKAT TMC
ON THURSDAY 6 AUG 2009

Good evening fellow toastmasters, ladies and gentlemen, and especially toastmaster Constance. Thank you for your amazing rendition of ‘Unrequited Love’. How many of you here agree with Shakespeare that ‘love is blind’? It has been said that before marriage, you should close one eye, after marriage, close both eyes. That’s why love is blind. Thank you for sharing about “love’s sheer power to alter and define our lives”.

I would like to highlight your strengths and areas for improvement using two acronyms ACT and ACE. Let’s start with your strengths using the acronym ACT.

A Attention-grabbing and apt selection of music
It was an excellent move to use music to accompany your rendition as the piece of music you had selected really sets the mood for the prose on ‘unrequited love’.

C Choice of prose
The choice of your prose was relevant and something the audience can easily identify with as all of us need love and most of us have experienced rejection at some point in our lives. The prose is beautifully written and very moving. Listening to the words brought tears to my eyes.

T Timing
The timing for your speech was perfect. You ended your rendition just as the music ended. I believed you had achieved this perfection in timing due to the effort you’ve put into rehearsals.

What are some ways you can improve on your performance tonight? Let me share with you three recommendations using the acronym ACE.

A Avoid preamble
Preamble is what you say in the beginning that is irrelevant to your speech. Though amusing, I felt your introduction was not relevant. Let the TME do the job of explaining the nature of interpretive reading. In your 45-seconds introduction, focus solely on what your monodrama is about. Tell us that this prose was articulated by Kate Winslet’s character in the movie ‘The Holiday’ and explain a little about the character so that we understand the context of the prose.

C Clear presentation
Project your voice so that everyone can hear you clearly. At times I was straining to hear you even though I was seated in the first row.

E Express your emotions
This project requires you to use voice and body to convey the mental, emotional and physical characteristics of the person. The use of script greatly limited the use of your body. Either memorise the script or place it on the lectern to free your hands for gestures. There was some vocal variety but it could be greatly enhanced. Extend the range of your vocal variety so that you can fully capture the sadness, the desperation and hope expressed in the prose.

Thank you for an amazing ACT. For your next project, give an appropriate introduction, project your voice so that we can hear you loud and clear, and freely express your emotions using body language and vocal variety. Then you will be on your way to ACE your future project speeches.