Introduction to Acting and Performance

The course begins with an overview of the history and societal role of theatre across the world. You’ll explore the techniques and styles of key practitioners of modern theatre, become familiar with ideas, terms and roles within the performance sector, and understand the distinctions between acting for stage and for camera.

You’ll be guided through vocal and physical warm-up techniques, creating and bringing your own characters to life, and analysing text – examining character motivations, emotional expression, relationships and the internal and external factors at play. Physicality is also incredibly important – you’ll learn the components of a walk and the theories of dynamics and tension.

No acting course would be complete without Shakespeare. We look at how to interpret Shakespeare’s language through his use of techniques such as imagery, iambic rhythm and antithesis and how to embody the characters of Shakespearian plays.

The course concludes with guidance on auditions, creating self-tapes, building your personal brand, laying out an actor’s CV, and finding an agent.

By studying this course, you will:

• Gain a greater understanding of theatre culture
• Know how to prepare physically and vocally for performances
• Be able to develop and apply techniques for creating characters
• Understand how to dissect scripts to understand characters
• Know how to use structured techniques to step into a role with confidence
• Have insight into the performance industry and its requirements

The main purpose of this course is to outline the first steps for anyone looking to go into acting, whether on stage or in front of the camera. However, it’ll also prove useful if you want to gain a basic understanding of the processes employed by actors to embody a character – whether that’s out of general interest, as a screenwriter, or someone looking to work within the performance sector.