PG Dip / MA Acting: The British Tradition

British acting has long been admired worldwide, but the true source of its quality and the tradition of training and playing in Britain has never been the focal point of a course.  BSA is proud to announce the launch of its one-of-a-kind accelerated 1-year MA concentrating on the British Tradition in acting. This course is aimed at both UK and international students and offers those with a passion for live performance the opportunity to explore just what it is that makes British acting unique.

Entrance requirements
You should have some previous performance training in order to come on this course. A first degree in drama, acting or performing arts, or performance experience will be required in addition to an audition and interview.

Course Content
From Shakespeare to the pantomime, Restoration Comedy to contemporary situation comedy, the British tradition of acting focuses on the importance of narrative, depth, dimension and consistency of character, technical precision, and the actor’s relationship with the audience. This laboratory course gives actors or other performance and drama professionals the opportunity to enhance their experience in classical and popular forms of acting. The course is delivered through a series of workshops. You will study modules taking you through the British tradition of theatre from the Middle Ages to the modern day exploring a range of acting techniques.
Modules include:

• Acting, Movement, and Voice Skills
• Shakespeare and his contemporaries
• Restoration and the Comedy of Manners
• Melodrama and the Well-made play
• Contemporary Playwrights

There will also be a final research project which may be either practice or dissertation based.
This professionally oriented course has a high number of contact hours and requires students to be highly motivated and committed.

Professional Development
Although performance is key, the focus of the course is on enhancing knowledge and is designed to give its participants a significant career development/CV enhancing opportunity. The one-year, accelerated format makes it an affordable option for developing professional skills.

Employability
Graduates of the course will return to careers in the performance industry or in education with additional skills and a clearer understanding of British actor training and style, which will increase employment opportunities and give graduates a competitive edge in a highly competitive field.