BA (Hons) in Acting (Creative Performance Practice)

Year 1

The course offers you an introduction to the basic skills of acting, developing into a more sophisticated and joined up approach to your creative practice. You will experience the development of physical, vocal and imaginative skill sets in relation to theatrical theories that will contribute to your understanding of ideas at the forefront of the profession.

Level 4 modules:

Practical Voice
The module will expect students to embody a basic vocal technique that connects to their imagination and impulse. Key areas of the module’s work will focus on freeing tension, releasing the jaw, improving articulation, resonance, connection to breath, the relationship between sound and movement.

Rehearsal Methods
This module aims to equip students to understand the process of engaging in rehearsal. You will understand what it is to work with text from the very early stages of a rehearsal process and take this through into performance.

Acting 1
This module aims to give you a toolkit of different approaches to acting and development of character that draw on a range of basic acting concepts, allowing you to respond to differing directorial approaches and to apply personal techniques to solve particular acting problems encountered during the rehearsal process. Classes will be led in two strands: improvisation and acting traditions. Camera technique will be introduced in this module.

Dance for the Actor
Dancing frees the actor, both mentally and physically and develops a strong, flexible, tension-free body whilst increasing fitness levels. Within this module, you will engage in technical classes in ballet, jazz and contemporary dance.

Creative Practice 1
The module aims to increase the student’s awareness of the contributing artistic and stage management expertise that support the craft of acting. Module content essentially develops the student’s understanding of the skills required to develop as an artist, establishing the framework to take on projects and lead them autonomously.

Physicality in Theatre 1
This module aims to give students an experience of a range of actor movement styles that allow them to release physical tension, recognise habit and develop their skills in constructing and performing in physically driven material.

Level 5
Body and Voice
The aim of this module is to explore the connection of vocal and physical technique in line with the principles explored at level 4. Students will engage with practical exercises that move from individual to ensemble developing techniques for expression.

Rehearsal Practice
Students will engage in one classical scene project and one new writing devised scene project using appropriate rehearsal methodologies.

Acting 2
Building on the level 4 Acting module students will engage with more complex approaches to scene work and improvisation. The overall aim of the module is to develop complex characters that students are able to sustain within both live and recorded settings.

Creative Practice 2
Students will engage with the professional practice of the actor considering the stakeholders in an actor’s career. The group will develop a fundraising event for a local charity using knowledge from level 4 to engage a local community.

Year two offers you the opportunity to synchronise ideas at the forefront of acting and creative performance practice through a range of performance settings. You will work with your cohort in directed and devising pieces using your creative performance practice in industry environments.

Professional practice will be a core focus of year two, with modules centred around audition and rehearsal skills. You will also work independently to develop your own practical portfolio which will include a performance and reflective work centred on your aspirations upon graduation.

Level 6 modules include:

Dance for the Actor 2
This module will focus on the skills developed through partnered dances and ensemble set studies whilst continuing to free and strengthen the body.

Production 1 – Directed Performance
You will take part in a filmed production experiencing all aspects of crewing as part of this near industry module. The rehearsal and filming process will be guided by a professional director over a four week period.

Production 2 – Devised Performance
At level 6, you will engage in a five week devising process establishing a cross-artform performance that is director led. This will culminate in a performance in the theatre space with invited industry guests.

Creative Practice 3
Through tutorials the student will engage in a sustained and deep engagement with a personal research project exploring a performance specialism of their choice to create a solo or ensemble presentation for assessment at the end of the module. Students will be encouraged to use the literacies established in the program content to immerse themselves in the potentiality of their creative artistic process.

Audition skills
Students will explore the process of auditioning for various industry settings including song, dance, voice over, physical theatre and self-tape. The module will include visiting lecturers, casting directors, agents and guest directors allowing the learner to establish industry ready skills.