Week Four Part Five - Course Option 3

Course Option Three: RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts) BA (Hons) in Acting

How do I get there?  What is the Training?

What does the institution offer?

     The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA) has many course offers concerning subjects within the Performing Arts Industry’s.  The course I have chosen to research, as a potential course option for my future, is BA (Hons) in Acting.  The sole purpose of this three year course, as stated on the Academy’s website, is to train and further develop talented actors with an ambitious future in the Performing Arts.  Students taking part in this course will experience opportunities towards developing a high level of their technical facility, flexibility, individuality and imagination.  Furthermore expanding their training, personal skills, and understanding of acting, and closely related subjects. 

     Not only that but new students will have various opportunities to take part with their course modules.  In these modules they will take part in exercises which allows them to develop their vocal work, to developing a skill in singing, as well as movement on stage, whether physical theatre or dance.  All of which is to present and apply their current or newly found skills, towards their course projects, productions and recorded media.

     The training route for this course is “classically based”, as they also expand the students understanding of multiple different contemporary theatres plays and styles.  Including screen and microphone work.  All of which is, similarly to my college course work, continuously assessed by a one-to-one tutorial teacher, giving feedback for improvement, and development for their future professional projects.  The professional development throughout the course is carried out through sessions and workshops, where students work with guest speakers who have a history in the industry, including actors, directors, international artists, and performers.

     What training does the course include performance based wise for students?  The course’s training, as mentioned earlier, consists of various play styles and performing strategies.  The styles of which are explored academically and practically by the courses students are Stanislavski, Greek Tragedy, and Shakespeare, along with research into both Elizabethan and Jacobean styles of writing and their work in contemporary theatre.  These styles of plays are researched and become major projects for the students as they demonstrate their skills gained through these styles of contemporary stage presentation and writing.  Plus students will explore skills such as improvisation, acting for camera and microphone techniques, and voice and movement training.  These skills will back up the student’s final grades, as well as showing their abilities to use these particular skills on stage in their main projects.  

     So these are the skills and training students shall overall receive throughout this course, but the next question concerns how they present it?  In their first year, students work in the academy’s class rooms and workshop spaces, to work in detail towards their final project, which they perform publically at the end of their first summer term.  Returning for their second year on the course, the students receive their achieved grades, from their first year workshops, and will then take part in performing productions in schools.  But for their third and final year on the course the students will dedicate themselves to rehearsals and performances for their final production.  This final production shall be staged in one of RADA’s three theatres.  “These productions will be directed by industry professionals and attended by agents and casting directors.” – RADA.  The final performance shall demonstrate the students skills and techniques they have learnt over the course of their time in RADA.  Plus students shall also take part in short films and radio productions, all of which is assessed and allows their demonstration of their vocal achievements and screen presence.

     A final not for students, who are either beginning or in their final stages for graduation, is the mentoring.  It is the graduate student’s task to provide new students with professional advice, feedback and networking opportunities.  This will give the new students an inspiration start and keen sense to begin the three year course of BA (Hons) in Acting, with the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts.  

 

What skills/requirements do I need to get in?

     The entry requirements for RADA are, in many ways, similar to applying for LAMDA (London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts).  Students wishing to apply for RADA have to be fluent in the English Language and over the age of 18.  But more interestingly, the academy does not ask for students past qualifications, and GCSE grade.  This is because entry to RADA asks students to demonstrate an intellectual, creative and practical ability to undertake degree level training.  However students will also have to undertake an audition process.  The audition process consists of three stages: Preliminary audition, Recall audition, Short workshop (three hour session), and a Workshop Day.  The purpose of this audition process is for the students to demonstrate their abilities to adapting to what the entirety of the course work consists of.  As well as demonstrating the student’s current skills and what areas of development are needed if they are to take part in this course.

     I personally think of this course as another good option.  It has good facilities on offer, good outcomes, and applying for this course seems decent enough to embark.  Therefore I will consider this course.  But from what skills I have already gained, in acting, as well as experiences in singing and dance movement, I do feel a sense of confidence towards presenting those skills if needed for applying.  

Why is this course for me?

     I feel this is a grand course because of its facilities, it projects, and above all its outcome from its successful students.  This would also allow me to explore and understand more of the practical and academicals sides to the entirety of the acting industry.  I would be able to expand upon my current skills, and train towards gaining new techniques and skills, all of which I will be given opportunities to present through stage, screen and radio productions.  Not only that, but I would have opportunities to meet and work with graduate students and professionals working in the performing arts industry.  Once again allowing me to extend my understanding of the acting industry and how much more I can learn and train towards gaining professionalism.

     However with every positive there is a negative.  There are two down side with this course that I see, one of them being the location.  RADA, exactly like LAMDA, is located in London City, therefore travelling and family visits may be a difficulty.  As my current living location is quite a distance from London, and there may be long journeys for visits, which may cause some difficulties, but all could be fixed if I was to take this course.  Plus another issue with this course is the funding and student fees.  While RADA is essentially a drama school, it does have the same course fees as University course fees.  This, once again, can become an issue.  But depending nearer the time for applying for Universities and Drama Schools, I may have to look into student support and potential living locations to know the final prices’.

     But all in all I do like what this course has to offer and how far they can extend their students towards professionalism and a successful career in acting.  

Post Training

     If I was to go down this courses’ road for my five year plan, the post training, I think, would be an incredible experience.  In this course’s workshops students take part in multiple acting forms of media, such as stage, screen, and radio, extending their performing skills and strategies.  But it is in their main projects where they are, not only assessed by their teachers and lecturers, but by professional casting directors and agents within the industry.  Therefore this would allow me to become recognised around area and take part in any major productions.  This would also allow me to present my current, or newly found skills from the course, to other theatre groups/companies, and allow me to begin the first steps in a potential professional career in acting.