Theatre and Performance

Important: This course will be taught at our Holloway campus from early 2026

Why study this course?

Our Theatre and Performance BA (Hons) programme will train you to be an industry professional with the ability to work across different areas of theatre and the performing arts. You’ll be immersed in a range of creative disciplines, including performing, directing, writing, dramaturgy and technical areas of theatre.

Our teaching team is composed of industry professionals and the programme includes regular sessions with innovative guests who will share their expertise with you. This will allow you to make valuable contacts and learn from the experiences of some of the most exciting theatre-makers the city has to offer. You’ll also have many opportunities to showcase your work and create original performances.

More about this course

Our Theatre and Performance BA (Hons) is designed for students who aspire to be leaders in theatre and the performing arts. We emphasise learning by doing, which means you’ll not only gain comprehensive knowledge of theatre production from conception to performance, but also create and showcase your own performances.

We will work with you to create original performances from your very first year, with a number of opportunities to share your work. By Year 3, once you have gained enough knowledge, skills and confidence, you’ll create and perform an original piece that you have made at one of London’s arts institutions or theatres. This will involve a group project, where you write, direct, perform and even market your own show – equipping you with practical experience of creating theatre from all aspects.

Although the programme includes significant training in acting, the goal is to provide you with knowledge of all major areas of the industry, from writing and directing to design and stage management. The performance-specific classes include subjects such as acting, voice, movement, ideas in theatre and much more. This holistic approach is designed to help you to find yourself as an artist.

The course is taught by active theatre practitioners who bring their industry experience to the classroom. Your lecturers come from varied and specialised backgrounds in theatre and performance, including artists who have worked in London’s West End, with the Tate Modern, Royal National Theatre and Roundhouse, amongst many other venues around the world. Their diverse experience and approaches to performance will empower you to examine the way you think about performance and help you find your own artistic direction.

In addition to the University's own teaching staff you’ll also learn from practitioners based at a number of different companies. In previous years our students have learned from practitioners from the National Theatre, Royal Court, Cirque du Soleil and other international companies. They've also had numerous classes and talks with artists from Complicité – one of the country’s most celebrated theatre ensembles.

Over the years we have built a strong community of staff and students, allowing for seamless collaboration with your peers. We have a diverse range of students on the course who offer differing artistic perspectives and enable exploration of different themes and ideas. You’ll also be involved in decision-making about the course programme and become an active participant in your lessons.

The University has excellent refurbished studio facilities.

Acting and Performance Skills 1;
Devising;
Objects and Theatre;
Performance, Art and Film Ideas 1

There are no exams during this course. Assessment is conducted via a combination of workshops, performances, productions, discussions, presentations, journals/portfolios and essays.

Self-assessment and reflection are key factors in the process of learning and are therefore considered throughout assessment.