Acting: Exploring Shakespeare
10-week Short Course for Adults
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Overview
This intensive ten-week course for people age 16+ aims to develop acting, movement and voice skills which are required to creatively engage with heightened classical text.
Throughout the course you will develop your understanding of Shakespeare’s work through an in-depth exploration of a Shakespeare Play using established and innovative practice. You will also prepare a Shakespeare monologue from a play of your choice, applying new knowledge in a practical setting.
This course is suited to students who are seeking a professional training experience or who may be considering acting as a career. The course will also be useful to experienced professional and amateur actors who are keen to refresh their skills and explore new ways of working.
Throughout the course you will:
- become acquainted with the essentials of textual analysis.
- learn how to explore heightened text, understanding the different ways that an actor can approach verse and prose.
- explore techniques which can enhance character development and story-telling, through the analysis of a range of monologues and scene work.
- gain an understanding of Shakespeare’s original practices and how this can inspire fresh approaches for twenty-first century productions.
- learn about Shakespeare’s First Folio.
- gain an understanding of how to embody the voice and explore physicality in the performance of Shakespearean texts.
Credit Rated Pathway
We are offering a credit-rated option for this class, giving students the opportunity to gain SCQF credits upon submission. This will not be mandatory, however students can sign up for the credit-rated option by following the steps listed in Credit-Rated tab on the left-hand menu. Please be advised there are two separate booking links – please sign up for the course in the first instance by using the Book Now button, and then sign up for the additional credit-rated option after you have completed your course booking. For courses that require approval, students should wait until they have been offered a place before signing up for credit-rated options.
Courses you may be interested in
We run a variety of different courses throughout the year, and update our programme regularly – you can find all courses by clicking here.
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Contact us
If you have any questions about this course before you book it, please get in touch with us at shortcourses@rcs.ac.uk.
The important details
Age:
16+
Cost:
£230
Date:
8 October - 10 December 2024
Time:
Tuesdays, 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Venue:
Online
Course Information
- Entry Requirements
- Course Outline
- Course Preparation
- Who is this course for?
- Credit-Rated
- Teaching Staff
- Term Dates and Tuition Fees
There are no entry requirements for this course.
The course is designed so that motivated students will benefit from the training. We expect you to undertake a certain amount of self-directed study and preparation out with class times.
Students should be open, honest, generous, respectful, hard-working and willing to work as part of a team.
Week One : Storytelling, Style and Shakespearean Performance
In this session we’ll focus on the story of the chosen play, the different approaches we could take as theatre-makers to present that story, and begin to think about the specific challenges of performing Shakespeare.
Week Two : Working On A Monologue
In this session we’ll look at the different things we might encounter when we first begin to analyse a monologue.
Week Three: Working On A Scene
In this session we’ll look at the different things we might encounter when we first begin to work on a scene.
Week Four: Working On A Character
In this session we’ll introduce some physical approaches to exploring character.
Week Five: Original Practices (The Elizabethan Playhouses)
In this session we’ll look at the Elizabethan Playhouses and their modern reconstructions, discovering what we can learn from them that strengthens our own practice in the 21st century.
Week Six: Working On Your Monologue
In this session we’ll focus on a monologue of your choice as we begin to prepare it for performance in week ten.
Week Seven: Using Your Voice
In this session we’ll explore techniques of key Shakespearean voice teachers and apply them to your monologues.
Week Eight: Using the First Folio
In this session we’ll look at the 1623 First Folio and discover the ways it can inform, deepen and strengthen our work as actors.
Week Nine: Using the Audience
In this session we’ll explore opportunities that Shakespeare’s text offers to engage with the audience.
Week Ten: Sharing Your Monologue
In this session we’ll share the monologues that you have been preparing through the course with your fellow workshop participants.
This course explores established and innovative methodologies in the three main disciplines of acting, movement and voice. These will be studied in relation to the analysis, rehearsal and performance of works by Shakespeare. You will also take part in workshops which explore building a character, character relationships and journeys, and the power of the soliloquy.
The style of engagement within this course is open, supportive and fun, yet it is also challenging and hard work. Self-directed preparation of a monologue will be an expectation during your time with us. Commitment, focus, energy and professionalism will be expected at all times by the tutor.
- Plan and prepare to attend all classes
- Dress comfortably in clothes which are suitable for the activity you are taking part in.
- Bring a notepad and pen/pencil in case you wish to make notes.
- Please bring a bottle of water to stay hydrated during your class.
This course is suitable for students aged 16+, with no or little experience. Students should be keen to learn and plan to attend all classes.
Credit-rated short courses are designed in accordance with the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF).
By studying a credit-rated short course, students can benchmark their learning against national standards, and credits may be used towards further education programmes at many institutions throughout the world.
The course is 20 hours of study and is worth 10 SCQF credits and 5 ECTS credits. This course is set at SCQF level 6.
There is an additional fee of £100 to take part in the credit-rated portion of the course. Please ensure you have already signed up to the course via the Book Now button on the web page. Once you have completed that, please sign up for the credit-rated option, by completing this booking form:
By studying a credit-rated course, you will need to be matriculated to RCS*, we require some additional information from credit-rated students for this reason. Please read through the section below thoroughly before you submit. If you have any questions about what is required, please email credit-rated@rcs.ac.uk and we can help you.
* Please note although Credit-Rated Short Courses students require matriculation to get their accreditation, you will not be a full time matriculated student of RCS. Credit-Rated Short Courses do not qualify for student visas due to the short term nature of the course. You will also not qualify for a student email address or student card.
Please read the following eligible evidence dependant on your nationality and immigration status:
Scottish/Welsh/English/Northern Irish (Please provide 1 of the following)
– Passport
– UK Driving Licence
– Other Photo ID
Irish (Please provide all of the following)
– Passport
Europeans with Settled or Pre-Settled Status (Please provide all of the following)
– Passport
– Online Immigration Status (via Sharecode)
Europeans (post-Brexit) (Please provide all of the following)
– Passport
– Proof of Entry to the UK
– Online Immigration Status (via Sharecode)
Non-Europeans who can use the e-gates (Nationals of the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Singapore and Japan) (Please provide all of the following)
– Passport
– Proof of Entry to the UK
– Vignette
– Biometric Residence Permit (BRP)
Online Credit Rated courses:
– if studying an online credit-rated course from your own country (outside of UK) you are only required to submit your passport.
– if studying an online credit-rated course within the UK, but do not hold a UK passport, please follow the guidance from above.
The Credit Rated or Admissions team may require further information or proof from individuals, and may be in contact with you to provide further evidence.
Providing a ShareCode
If you are providing a ShareCode as part of your evidence please visit https://www.gov.uk/view-prove-immigration-status and follow the instructions to access your code, and provide it in the Experience section of the Booking Form.
Alasdair Hunter
This course will run in-person on Tuesday evenings for 10-weeks from 8 October – 10 December 2024, 6:30pm – 8:30pm.
The course fee is £230 which is the equivalent to £23 per session, and can be paid in full or in instalments before the course end date.
Further Information
We want to ensure as many children, young people and adult learners as possible can access the performing and production arts education that is offered through Short Courses at RCS. Financial support options available for Short Courses include:
Agnes Allan Bursary
Agnes Allan was a teacher, passionate about inclusion, and this bursary scheme exists to offer support to students to participate in the performing or production arts.
The Agnes Allan Bursary provides some support to students who may require financial assistance to take part in a short course in dance, drama, music, production or screen.
Anyone who wishes to take part in our Short Courses and faces a financial barrier can apply for bursary support to help meet the cost of tuition fees.
James McAvoy Drama Scholarships
BAFTA-winning and Golden Globe nominated actor James McAvoy is committed to nurturing the creative potential of young Scots who experience barriers to access and participate in drama at RCS Short Courses.
James is a graduate of the BA Acting programme at RCS and Patron of the Junior Conservatoire of Drama. The Glasgow-born actor has funded the new James McAvoy Drama Scholarships to enable young people to experience the world-class drama training at RCS as he did.
The scholarship aims to support applicants who would otherwise find meeting the cost of tuition fees at RCS a barrier to accessing pre-Higher Education drama training at the Royal Conservatoire.
You can find more information about these funds on our Financial Support page.
We run various promotional offers for our Short Courses and Summer Schools. You can view our current offers on our Promotional Offers page.
You should contact us at shortcourses@rcs.ac.uk to request your discount code before booking a course.
Please note, only one promotional offer can be applied per course and should be used at the time of booking as we are unable to apply a discounts retrospectively.
Please see our Short Course FAQs for more information about all aspects of choosing, booking and attending your course.
Please see our Short Courses – Terms and Conditions for more information about your contract with Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and Cancellation and Refund policies.
Sign up to our mailing list to receive the latest updates of courses, offers and news from Short Courses. You can do this by completing this short online form found here.
Short Courses
shortcourses@rcs.ac.uk
Summer Schools
summerschools@rcs.ac.uk
Credit-Rated
credit-rated@rcs.ac.uk
Bursary and Scholarship
bursaryscholarship@rcs.ac.uk
