MA in Professional Acting (International): The Training
As with all the courses at BOVTS, actor training is rigorous and demanding – particularly on the intensive One Year MA for International students.
You will start each day at 8.45am with a physical and vocal warm up and then contact hours continue until 6.30pm (5.30pm Friday). Your mornings typically are taken up by class: Voice, Accent, Movement, Period Movement, Combat, Acting Technique, Singing and Alexander, etc., with afternoons more focused on working on Text Projects.
This means that you will be in practical sessions for approximately 36 hours each week. On top of that you will have to undertake a great deal of private work: line learning, vocal and movement practice, class preparation, reflection.
The year is divided into 4 Terms: Autumn – 12 weeks; Spring – 11 weeks; Summer – 12 weeks; Mid-Summer – 5 weeks.
The course is divided into 5 Modules. In practice these are integrated throughout the course:
THE ACTOR’S INSTRUMENT (Movement, Voice, Alexander)
Equipping you with the knowledge and practical technique to meet the physical and vocal demands of classical stage performance
APPLIED MOVEMENT AND THE CLASSICAL TRADITION (Combat, Period Movement)
Training you in the Movement, Dance and Combat associated with different Classical contexts.
TEXT AND CONTEXT
You will take part in a series of Intensive Text project workshop rehearsals and performances, typically Classical, Shakespeare, Comedy of Manners, Chekhov.
PERFORMANCE
Towards the end of the course, you will rehearse and perform in the International students’ own fully mounted production with the support of the School’s technical staff and students. This will be conducted under professional working conditions.
PROFESSIONAL PORTFOLIO
The 5-Week Mid-Summer term will be largely taken up with the preparation of a personal portfolio of material that should enable you to link your development during a classical British training to the industry circumstances of your own country. We aim for you to leave with a selection of well-prepared Classical and Contemporary audition speeches, experience in sight-reading (cold reading), good quality Video and Audio material suitable for a showreel and a marketing plan of action.
In total this amounts to 180 UK Credits. Perhaps more usefully you should consider that there are approximately 36 Practical Contact Hours per week for 40 weeks – 1440 hours in total. There will, of course, also be much private preparation in addition.
Modules are assessed both discretely, in class, and interdependently, in performance. Progress is monitored through continual feedback, informal termly assessments and Formal Assessment at the end of the third term.
