Acting for Contemporary Theatre

Study acting and develop your skills in directing, playwrighting and workshop leading
Our BA (Hons) Acting for Contemporary Theatre degree is a highly practical programme which will develop your skills, ideas and experiences to prepare you for your career in the theatre industry.

Centre yourself in the theatrical world
Examine the broad and diverse role of the actor in contemporary theatre as an integral part of the theatre-making process. As part of this, you will study devising, scriptwriting and directing, alongside developing your acting skills.

Develop your performance skills
You will train to become a versatile, proactive and independent actor-maker, with an emphasis on rigorous and generous creative practice.

Produce your own work
You will work to produce and perform in original work and develop high-quality professional contacts that prepare you for a demanding, diverse and flexible career in the professional theatre industry.

Work placement opportunities
You will benefit from the department’s excellent links with the professional theatre industry, and have opportunities to work closely with a range of artists, theatre companies, producers and festival programmers.

Creative and collaborative community
You will become a member of a shared creative community where cultural identity, experimentation and research are central to making contemporary theatre. You will be able to take part in casting opportunities, auditions and talks with industry professionals.

This course runs in parallel to our BA (Hons) Acting course, so you will work with and perform with other students throughout your degree.

Spotlight accredited
Our partnership with Spotlight offers you discounted graduate membership to largest casting resource in the United Kingdom, inclusion in a dedicated ‘graduate’ section of their website, access to their dedicated one-to-one career advice sessions and much more.

On this course you will:

• Develop your performance skills as a theatre actor.

• Explore the expanded role of the actor within contemporary theatre.

• Expand your knowledge and skills beyond performance as you study devising, scriptwriting, directing and workshop leading.

• Have the option to undertake placement with a range of theatres.

• Benefit from our professional industry partnerships throughout your studies.

• Access placement opportunities including roles at the Chichester Festival Theatre, Brighton People’s Theatre, Edinburgh Festival and more.

• Focus on the role of the actor in the theatre-making process*
  During your studies you will have the freedom to explore a range of theatrical styles to shape your own artistic identity.

Study areas include:

• Acting skills

• Physical theatre

• Narrative

• Text and character

• Production

• Playwriting

• Adaption and direction

• Critical and cultural studies

• Business management for theatre

• Applied arts practice.

Year One: Foundations
Building core skills in acting
Discovering new techniques
Freeing the actor.
Year Two: Specialism
Deepening core skills
Bespoke actor’s toolkit with a range of optional modules
Two staff-led productions.
Year Three: Independence
Applying the craft in the actor across four practical projects from a range of options; devised production (compulsory), professional showreel, solo performance, directed play and devised production.
Focused professional development including theatre company management and graduate festival for programmers, producers and funding bodies.

You will be assessed through a range of assignments including practical and performance contexts. These assessments will include group and individual performances, directing exercises, presentations, creative installations, and essays.

During your degree you will be involved in at least twelve examined performances, including three major productions, over the three years. There are no formal exams.