Maryam Ismayilova

Name: Maryam Ismayilova
Exam taken: Acting, Solo, Grade 8
Category nominated under: Achievement – outstanding or high achievement in their qualification results
Nominated by: Charlotte Emerson, Teacher

Maryam is an exceptionally talented, motivated and versatile performer. Her knowledge of the theatrical world is immensely impressive and she displays genuine enthusiasm and understanding of plays from a myriad of ages and genres. As a result, she has always achieved outstanding results in her Trinity exams. These results are indicative of not only her diligence, but they also stem for the zealous manner in which she approaches performing. From her preparatory lessons and rehearsals, until the examinations themselves, Maryam’s performances are consistently imaginative, bold and of outstanding quality.

I first begun teaching Maryam when she was fourteen years old and, even at that age, her aptitude and fervour for performance were wholly evident. We discussed her admiration for the works of Oscar Wilde and, as a result, in her Grade 6 examination, she performed a bold, humorous and dynamic rendition of Mabel’s iconic speech from An Ideal Husband. She subsequently created a brilliantly witty character development inspired by this piece, using comedic heightened characterisation in tandem with a satirical and playful devised scenario. This was contrasted impressively with a vulnerable and sincere portrayal of Leah from Dennis Kelly’s DNA. Here, Maryam successfully evoked the paranoia and emotional volatility of a young girl placed in extreme circumstances. These performances, in combination with her thorough display of knowledge in the theoretical aspect of the exam, earned her a high Distinction with an impressive 90/100.

Since then, Maryam has gone from strength to strength in each examination, achieving high Distinctions at both Grade 7 and Grade 8 levels (where she achieved 92/100 and 90/100 respectively). In her Grade 8 examination, Maryam performed an extract from her favourite play, when she enacted Biff from Arthur Miller’s Death of Salesman. I was impressed not only by the specificity and accuracy of her American accent but also by her ability to portray a young man in the midst of a crisis. Her depiction of a character who is reaching a place of such desperation and instability was so touchingly and truthfully evoked that it evidenced a level of skill and maturity as a performer that is far beyond her years.

Maryam consistently takes ownership over her pieces; she is proactive in suggesting staging and interpretations of texts and attends lessons having considered the material extensively at home. In addition to her own suggestions, she is also very responsive to direction and has demonstrated an excellent range of characterisation. When she first begun lessons, her primary strength lay in heightened characterisation and comedy, however, she has now become fully confident in extremely emotional and demanding material. She is unafraid to approach new challenges and stretch herself, but these risks have invariably paid off.

Overall, Maryam has demonstrated on numerous occasions that she possesses considerable prowess and ability as a performer. However, it is also her relentless drive and exemplary work ethic which allows her to achieve the highest standards within her examinations.