Drama and Theatre BA
We gain a lot of skills here that are useful in all sorts of jobs, which is a good thing.
When I visited, I was impressed with the School of Arts’ building, it was modern and the facilities were really good. I could see that the teachers were passionate about their subject.
I?remember we had a welcome lecture and it just struck me, oh, I’m here. It seemed daunting, but then, as I listened, I started to get excited, I remember thinking, wow, there are so many different modules.
In the first year, we learn the basics of performance, gain experience of different styles and experiment a bit. It’s a good way to build confidence. We also study contemporary theatre and its history. There’s lots of reading but as you go through the course you apply the theory to your performances and it really helps.
In second year, I think my favourite module was Popular Performance. We learnt about the history of cabaret and alternative comedy, and about contemporary practice. We produced our own cabaret and performed it to friends, parents and other students, which was great fun.
This year I am taking the Creative Project module. You pick your own group and work as a theatre company creating a piece from scratch. It’s exciting because you get to use all the skills you have learnt and have a lot of freedom in how you present your work, which can be a performance, an exhibition, or an art installation, it’s up to you. Each group has a specialist supervisor but is responsible for everything, from budget to lighting, sound, and the set, so we all gain a lot of skills.
They are approachable and their passion for their subject definitely comes across in their teaching. It’s also inspiring to see examples of their own work.
Good. We do a lot of group work, which can be challenging, but we are given help in gaining people skills and learning how to work in a team. I also went to the Student Learning Advisory Service for help with essays and discovered I had dyslexia; they made sure I got the help I needed. The support in the School is good as well, there’s always someone to go to if you have a problem.
For Drama they’re great, there are two studios in the School, and the Aphra Theatre and the Lumley. There are study hubs all over campus, so you don’t always have to use the library. The library is a nice environment though and it has a café.
Social facilities are good too. I joined the gym and there are lots of places to grab lunch or a coffee. In summer, just relaxing outside taking in the view of the Cathedral is nice.
I am a member of T22 Drama Society. We put on around five plays a term, some of them are devised pieces and some scripted. It’s good to have fun with your performance and not worry about marks. You can do backstage stuff too, production management, that sort of thing. I enjoy it.
I lived in Park Wood, with five other flatmates. We all got on well. One was doing Drama and Spanish, so it was nice to chat to her about the course, but it’s also good to meet people on other courses.
It’s quaint and full of history but there’s always a buzz. It’s nice that it’s not too big a city because it’s not daunting and it feels safe.
I am applying to some drama schools to do a Master’s. I’d also be interested in working in the industry, perhaps in marketing, or working in the community or drama therapy. We gain a lot of skills here that are useful in all sorts of jobs, which is a good thing.
Be open to new experiences, and don’t be afraid to experiment and try things. And enjoy it, you must do that!
