Theatre & Performance BA(Hons)

You’ll develop essential skills by focusing on the development of voice, body, movement and imaginative practices. We’ll also look into global issues, historical contexts and modern practice and ideas. You'll explore scene-studies from a range of texts with a common theme, devising skills and developing an ensemble performance of original live work. 

Modules

Performance Skills

Fundamental voice and movement technique training in separate sessions.   

Performance, Culture & Contexts

An exploration of critical theatre history. 

Play Texts

Exploring fundamental practical physical and psychological approaches to text. 

Making Skills

Learning and developing practical physical, vocal and creative tools with which to make theatre.  

Contemporary Performance & Concepts

An exploration into a range of contemporary approaches to making theatre. 

Ensemble Performance

In small companies, collaborate to create and perform a piece of theatre as an ensemble. 

Modules

Technical Theatre & Scenography

Develop your practical understanding of scenographic skills, design thinking and technical skills. Collaborate to bring together a range of these practical skills to drive a creative process. 

Solo Performance

Develop a short-form solo performance piece, influenced by research into a range of styles of delivery. 

Immersive & Participatory Theatre

Working within a company, you’ll create a public production with a director, exploring immersive and participatory theatre forms. 

The Performer’s Body, Directing & Dramaturgy

You will explore the practical skills of writing, directing and structuring material with performers in small teams. 

Modes of Making

Advanced physical, vocal and imagination training. 

Theatre Futures

Explore the work of significant contemporary theatre companies, production houses and festivals and how their work remains resilient.  

You can choose to take an optional placement year after your second year on a three-year programme, or after your third year if you’re studying for a degree with an Integrated Foundation Year. 

You’ll be responsible for finding your own placement, with support from the RealWORKS employability team. 

Choosing this option will enhance your industry experience and skills while studying. 

How you’ll study during your placement year 

You’ll spend time working in a professional context, as part of a business or organisation. This can be in one role, or up to three, and must be for a minimum of 24 weeks. 

You’ll develop in-demand workplace skills, deepen your insight into industry and grow your network of contacts, all of which could help you get ahead in your career after graduation. 

Throughout this year, you’ll develop a portfolio of work that includes critical self-reflection on what has been learned from the experience. You’ll be required to evidence your experiences, the skills you’ve learned and your professional growth. 

Using your critical and reflective skills, you’ll research and write a paper on an area of theatre making that passionately interests you. You’ll also develop performance material – individually or in companies –beginning as a small test showing and finishing as a full public production for industry specialists and audiences. You’ll also take on a professional development project, where you’ll prepare for the industry by learning about how its infrastructure functions and how to develop a career as a performer, theatre maker or company. You will create a professional identity for yourself and your work, ready to share on a range of platforms and networks. 

Modules

Creating Companies

Create and develop scratch performance work over a number of dynamic cycles in small companies. 

Master Classes

Advanced theatre making skill sessions delivered as ongoing masterclasses. Voice, physicality, composition and dramaturgical skills. 

The Thinking Practitioner: Student-led Research

Research, critically reflect upon and write about an area of theatre making that passionately interests you. 

Professional Development

You’ll learn about the practical nuts and bolts infrastructure of the theatre business and how to develop a career as a performer, theatre maker or company.  

Professional Production

Work as a small company and collaborate to develop, rehearse, polish and present an original professional production for performance to industry specialists and the public.