Introduction
The Acting Foundation Course provides rigorous and in-depth training that will give you the skills, techniques and confidence invaluable either as a preparation for further vocational training, higher education (degree or MA/MFA) or for a career in the performing arts. The course is designed to support your development as an actor in training, auditioning and future practice in a way that is rigorous and professional. It will also develop you physically, vocally and imaginatively whilst encouraging an independent and in-depth approach to your work. We arrange a number of theatre visits and masterclass workshops as well as termly audition panels with core staff and external theatre and casting directors. Students get help to build their actors' portfolio of audition material as well as getting one to one vocal coaching.
The Acting Foundation Course provides rigorous and in-depth training that will give you the skills, techniques and confidence invaluable either as a preparation for further vocational training, higher education (Degree or MA/MFA) or for a career in the performing arts.
The course is designed to support your development as an actor in training, auditioning and future practice in a way that is rigorous and professional. It will also develop you physically, vocally and imaginatively whilst encouraging an independent and in-depth approach to your work. We arrange a number of theatre visits and workshops as well as audition panels with outside theatre and casting directors. Students get help to build their actor's portfolio of songs and speeches as well as getting one to one vocal coaching. Students will be taught a limber which they will be required to do each morning to strengthen and build flexibility and improve fitness.
This is a 6 months (20 weeks) programme.
This is a full-time course with a minimum of 26 hours a week. There will be 4 days teaching but that will move to 5 days during projects which will run from Monday to Friday. Students will also be expected to work independently outside of class.
Classes
Classes include:
Acting (studying Stanislavski and Meisner)
Performance/audition technique
Movement
Ensemble
Voice
Text study
Sight-reading
Shakespeare and singing
There are two full-time rehearsal projects during the course: Term 1 contemporary scene study and Term 2 Shakespeare, as well as weekly masterclasses with outside professional directors and theatre companies. Highly experienced tutors from our performance B.A courses as well as professional practitioners deliver the course.
Masterclasses include: Building your audition portfolio, Grotowski, physical theatre, audition technique, Augusto Boal, acting through song, Uta Hagen, acting for the camera, clowning, stage fighting and unarmed combat, Alexander Technique, musicality (all masterclasses are subject to change).
Admissions
We operate a rolling admissions policy for our Foundation programmes so we accept applications throughout the year.
Please click here to apply.
May we ask you to send two taped/filmed audition speeches. Both speeches should be learnt from memory and performed rather than read. They should be no longer than 2 minutes each and performed in English.
A Contemporary speech from a play (1960 onwards)
A Classical speech from either a Shakespeare or Jacobean play
You can send them privately via Youtube
Once we have received the relevant materials, this will be forwarded onto the Course Director and if successful, you will be invited to attend a Skype Interview.
Fees
Please note that the course fee for 2021 entry has not been published yet, this was the course fee for 2020 entry:
£6,250
Funding
Please note that this course is not eligible for Student Finance England (SFE) funding.
2 half bursaries of £3,000 each will be awarded to students on the course, subject to conditions. More details about the bursary application process will be sent upon application to the course.
