It’s hard to believe, given that both her parents are Grade A eejits, but Lola Morrison is already an award-winning performer. At the grand old age of 11.
Having studied speech and drama since the age of four, Lola recently picked up not one but two major awards at the Kilcoole Feis’ 60th birthday bash, where she was handed the Gold Medal after her Grade 6 Irish Board of Speech & Drama exam, before going on to share first place overall. An achievement made all the more impressive when you realise that, last year, Lola was handed the Gold Medal in her Grade 5 Irish Board of Speech & Drama exam, before, yep, going on to share first place overall.
Feckin’ over-achiever.
Of course, Lola’s ability to take on a stage and make it her own might have something to do with the fact that her dad is one of Ireland’s most successful comedy creators, whilst her mum used to be a topless dancer in Dawson’s Amusement Arcade in Bray for four years.
It was her delivery of Clare Price’s monologue My Naughty Sister that won Lola all the gongs. And the following praise from the examiner…
You conveyed the quirkiness of Emma using a range of facial expressions, well-motivated gestures and comic timing. A well-rounded performance, you captured the emotion of the poem with sensitivity and sincerity, lovely pacing, tone variation, speech, sounds and expression throughout.
You stood well and read with feeling. Good use of eye contact, serving to further the drama and drawing me in.
The theory you discussed with fluency and understanding. Well done, Lola.
Involved with our local Sunshine Stage School and Action Arts, as well as Bluebottle, Peace Proms and Music Generation, Lola has appeared on stage as Jafar in Aladdin, The Artful Dodger in Oliver! (her dad having delivered a fantastic Fagen in a St. David’s production in the early 1980s) and is about to take on Charlie & The Chocolate Factory.
Now might be the time to make friends with Lola Morrison. Before she’s really famous. And incredibly, disgustingly, blissfully rich.