“Duologue Grade 2” is not one universal exam. The requirements depend on the examining provider and syllabus version. For LAMDA Grade 2 Acting, the duologue exam includes a set scene, an own-choice scene and questions about the performances; Trinity, RIAM and LSMD use different formats. Check your provider’s current syllabus before choosing a scene or planning timings.
Start by identifying your exam board
Grade 2 duologue requirements differ between LAMDA, Trinity College London, the Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM) and The Leinster School of Music & Drama (LSMD). Their timings, performance tasks and assessment structures are not interchangeable. Confirm the provider and syllabus year on your entry information, then use that provider’s rules for material selection and preparation.
LAMDA Grade 2 Acting: the duologue exam
In LAMDA’s 2024 Performance Syllabus, Grade 2 Acting sits in Level 1, which covers Grades 1–3. For the duologue format, two learners perform a set scene and an own-choice scene from memory, then answer questions about their performances. The listed allowance for this format is 25 minutes; it is specifically the duologue allowance, not a time to apply to LAMDA’s solo or combined formats. See the LAMDA Acting exam information and confirm the current syllabus before preparing.
LAMDA Grade 2 set duologue scenes
The Grade 2 list in the 2024 syllabus includes these set scenes:
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- Author: Shurtleff, Michael.
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- Pages: 288
- Publication Date: 1980-01-02
- Edition: Reissue
- The Book of Dust – La Belle Sauvage, adapted by Bryony Lavery from Philip Pullman
- The Wind in the Willows, adapted by LAMDA from Kenneth Grahame
- A Monster Called Hex by Hannah Kennedy
- Tuesday by Alison Carr
- Pigeon English, adapted by Gbolahan Obisesan from Stephen Kelman
- Coram Boy, adapted by Helen Edmundson from Jamila Gavin
- Sherbet by Sarah McDonald-Hughes and Curtis Cole
- Hamlet, adapted by LAMDA from Shakespeare
- The Sweetness of a Sting by Chinonyerem Odimba
- Wolfie by Ross Willis
The syllabus says these set scenes are printed in full in LAMDA Acting Anthology: Volume 5. The book listing identifies Nick Hern Books as publisher and gives print ISBN 9781839043284 and eBook ISBN 9781788507783. It is intended for this LAMDA pathway; do not assume it meets another provider’s material rules. Check LAMDA’s resources and support page for syllabus and publication routes.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How other providers’ Grade 2 formats differ
The following comparison reflects the cited specifications: Trinity’s surfaced Acting (Pair) specification, RIAM’s 2023+ syllabus updated in September 2024, and the surfaced LSMD Grade 2 syllabus. Confirm each provider’s current edition before relying on details.
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| Provider and pathway | Exam structure | Timing | Assessment details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trinity College London, Acting (Pair), Grade 2 | One duologue from memory, followed by a reflection task; maximum performance time is eight minutes. | 12-minute exam. | Criteria include audible, clear performance; variation in pace, pitch and volume; physicality and use of space; character relationship; and audience awareness. |
| RIAM, Duologue Acting Grade 2 | Storytelling; a selected skill (mime, devising “The Bet,” or acting through song); and conversation. | Maximum exam length: 13 minutes. | Storytelling: 50 marks; selected skill: 30 marks; conversation: 20 marks. |
| LSMD, Duologues Grade 2 | Presentation, own-choice duologue, prepared improvisation and questions. | 15 minutes. | Presentation: 10 marks; own-choice duologue: 45; prepared improvisation: 25; questions: 20. Age requirements vary between dated syllabus copies; check the current syllabus directly. |
Choose and prepare material using the right rules
- Verify the syllabus edition. Scene lists and entry rules can change; a past syllabus is not a guarantee of current requirements.
- Check what the exam asks you to perform. LAMDA’s cited duologue format has a set scene and an own-choice scene; the other boards listed above have their own structures.
- Follow the provider’s memory and selection requirements. Do not transfer LAMDA’s set-scene list, Trinity’s performance limit or another board’s criteria to a different exam.
- Use the stated format timing. The allowances above describe different exams and should not be treated as comparable performance times.
- Prepare for the non-performance component too. Depending on the board, this may be questions, reflection, conversation or another specified task.
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