degree

BA (HONS)

ACTING FOR STAGE AND SCREEN

An Acting Company in Training.

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BRISTOL

UCAS Code: AFS2

Duration: 3 years full time

Start date: September 2024

Location: Tobacco Factory Theatres

An Acting Company in Training resident at Tobacco Factory Theatres.
A conservatoire style training with an average of 30 hours a week of classes.
‘Spotlight’ and ‘Graduate Equity’ membership in the final year.

ALL OUR AUDITIONS ARE FREE.

To keep our process inclusive and accessible, we believe that money shouldn’t prevent anyone from auditioning.

Please note you can do your first round audition with us prior to submitting your UCAS via the button below.

Apply for audition

The way theatre works as an industry, who it speaks to and for is changing, and actor training courses need to reflect this. No longer can actors be trained to be a blank canvas to create another’s reality; rather they must be creative artists who bring themselves, their experience, their culture and their perspective to their work. That’s how we will achieve genuine diversity and change. Students joining the course will be part of that change.

The concept behind the course is that, as a student, you work in an ensemble – a training company – resident in a working theatre and the first of its kind in the country. We support you to be ready to both respond to and shape the industry which you’ll enter. We’ll develop your networks and marketing skills and you have the opportunity to leave with industry connections, a personal career development strategy and a showreel.

You’ll be taught by some of the most experienced tutors working in the industry, working at the highest level. Our networks in the industry are strong and deep. Our new Co-Artistic Director, Miranda Cromwell, is an Olivier Award winning director and Stuart Wood has almost 40 years experience as a director and teacher of acting in the UK’s conservatoires. Our expert staff are drawn exclusively from leading drama schools.

BA (Hons) Acting for Stage and Screen is limited to 22 students with an average of 30 hours per week of direct teaching time.

OVERVIEW

The BA (Hons) Acting for Stage and Screen will give you the in-depth training required to be a professional actor and a creative artist. The core of the course is a programme of acting classes based on the approaches of Michael Chekhov, Nikolai Demidov, Laban and Anne Bogart. Acting class is closely aligned with a combined voice and movement class, exploring how these instruments work together to create truthful characters in whom the physical is finely attuned to the psychological.

Acting for Camera is an important part of the course and runs across the three years with classes feeding into camera projects in year 2 and year 3.

The course modules cover acting techniques, the connection of physicality and voice, text analysis, character development and acting for camera techniques. Second year projects include contemporary text, non naturalistic drama, Shakespeare and the Actor as Theatre-Maker; a placement working with The Wardrobe Ensemble.

In the third year you’ll appear in professionally produced productions, working as part of the ‘acting company in training’ based at Tobacco Factory Theatres. You also take part in the BSA Agent Showcase in London.

STRUCTURE

YEAR ONE.

The first year focuses on training your acting instrument. The course takes you through the fundamental skills and theories of acting, voice and movement as you begin to learn the craft and experience how its core elements fit together. Both acting and instrument classes focus on the creativity and invention of the acting process. The goal is to develop your personal practice and artistic freedom, in order to create exciting and embodied characters. Acting for Camera classes are introduced and run alongside text work, singing and stage combat.

YEAR TWO.

In the second year you put your techniques into practice and develop more advanced skills through a series of rehearsal projects including contemporary text, non-naturalistic drama and Shakespeare. Instrument classes expand to cover more advanced psycho physical techniques. Acting for camera technique classes culminate in a camera project and at the end of the year you’ll join The Wardrobe Ensemble for a placement module exploring the Actor as Theatre-Maker.

YEAR THREE.

The third year prepares you for a career in the industry as you work on public productions rehearsed in professional conditions. These productions are fully staged, have professional directors, designers and other creatives. You’ll apply the comprehensive acting skills you have learnt to different styles and adapt your craft whilst keeping the integrity of your process. You’ll also learn about casting, agents, auditions, and the job of building a career as a working actor and marketing yourself. As well as theatre productions you appear in a professionally produced screen project and take part in our Agent Showcase in London.

APPLICATION

The degree is delivered in partnership with Plymouth Marjon University. To apply, you will need to register with UCAS by visiting www.ucas.com/apply and apply using the course details below.

As well as applying to UCAS, you will also need to audition with us (see below for details about our audition process) to be offered a place on this course. You can book your audition by clicking Apply Now.

In both cases, for lots of reasons, we strongly recommend applying to UCAS and auditioning with us as soon as you can.

UCAS course code: AFS2

Institution code: P63

Campus name: Bristol School of Acting

Campus code: A

AUDITION

FIRST ROUND AUDITION.

Entry onto the course is by audition.

Your first round audition will be online with a tutor via Zoom. You will be asked to prepare 2 contemporary monologues (written after 1970) that last no longer than 2 minutes each and are contrasting in tone, style or genre. You will then have a short interview with the tutor.

RECALL AUDITION.

If you are successful in getting through the first round you’ll be invited to a recall audition. You’ll spend the day with us in Bristol, taking workshops, rehearsing a prepared scene and having an extended interview. You’ll be able to meet tutors and existing students and get a true feel for the school.

Please see the PDF document for specific details about the recall audition.

About our Auditions – Stage and Screen PDF

TYPICAL OFFER

Applicants are considered on an individual basis, taking into account any skills and experience that may not be reflected in A-Level scores. The most important consideration is that you have the qualities and potential to succeed. However, there are minimum academic entry requirements. We accept a wide range of qualifications for entry to the course. The main ones are listed below: