If you’re interested in the performance of Shakespeare and want to study original and contemporary professional practices, then this MA is for you. You’ll take part in actor training and research seminars, leading to presentations and performances using our indoor and outdoor theatres on campus and in Bath city centre.
You’ll develop production and networking skills, building a theatre company and a professional profile. We’ll give you opportunities to take your work to external venues as part of your studies. With opportunities to work with BA Acting and Drama students, you’ll get experience as an actor who can lead workshops and a researcher who can work in productions.
We place emphasis on practice-based work. You’ll take part in workshops on voice, text, movement and directing in our state-of-the-art studios.
In addition, you’ll explore current research methods at Masters level and examine Shakespeare’s theatre through theoretical, historical, and cultural contexts.
Prospective students will have a proven academic and/or professional profile. Students should have a good first degree and some knowledge and experience of theatre, acting and Shakespeare. Candidates for the course will be asked to demonstrate their foundational skills and knowledge through an audition, interview or both. Overseas students may be asked to send a recorded audition and the interview may be conducted over the telephone or via Skype.
Students accepted onto the programme are expected to work often in teams and in collaboration with students, staff, researchers, and industry professionals and, therefore, their personal profile and recommendations will be strongly considered.
Trimester 1
From the start of the course you’ll be immersed in a practical training, leading to performances of monologues, duologues, and scenes. You’ll also get a grounding in current research methods, completing practical or scholarly research. This leads to a presentation and an essay.
Trimester 2
We’ll give you the opportunity to train at Shakespeare’s Globe in London. You’ll develop your training into a professional portfolio. Alongside this you’ll develop a theatre company with fellow students for public performances.
Trimester 3
You can choose to undertake a more traditional written dissertation, a performance based dissertation or a mixture of the two. Previous students have undertaken productions, workshops, and research into stage and screen productions as part of their dissertation.
You can choose to work on your dissertation on-campus or by distance learning. You’ll benefit from one-to-one tutorials which can take place in person or online.
Our graduates have become:
Producers
Actors
Teachers
PhD students
Other students have set up their own theatre companies.