My top five part-time acting courses in London.
Michael Brosnan (copyright 2019)
I moved to London in October 2015 and pretty much immersed myself in the acting world from day one in terms of doing courses, meeting new people and seeing lots of theatre. I have road tested most part-time acting courses out there and for a while was stuck on the course junkie treadmill. Looking back, I admit that I felt inferior to fully trained conservatoire graduates and thought I should do course after course to get myself to an equivalent standard before I fully marketed myself as a professional actor. In hindsight, I should have focused on the one fully rounded part-time evening course that I was doing at Rose Bruford College and then thrown myself into searching for paid opportunities. I have compiled a list of my top five part-time acting courses in London if you like me combine your craft with a full-time job. However, take my advice- don’t feel compelled to tick them all off your list!
What to look for when signing up for a part-time acting course;
Qualified tutors who have industry connections and experience
The reputation of the training provider as it will attract like for like in terms of quality of tutors and participants
Recognition in terms of getting a certificate or diploma (not always required but look for this when it is more of a longer-term commitment I.e. 1–2 years)
Progression routes and continuing support
The possibility of an actors showcase if at least 2 years in training
The pick of the bunch;
One year APT course at Rose Bruford College I started this course in September 2016 after a recommendation from a friend I met at another short course (Central School of Speech and Drama). It was taught by three top tutors who really instilled a hard work ethic and determination in all of us and were brutally honest about the trials and tribulations of becoming a working actor. However, it still didn’t put me off! It was the best training I could afford in terms of finding a full-time conservatoire substitute which worked well for working adults and for those who had other work or family commitments. To boot, it was taught at one of Greater London’s premium drama schools and holds kudos on my CV and Spotlight. It was the foundation I needed to take my craft to the next level and I am forever grateful for the opportunities and people I met there. It also gave the cohort incredible visibility as we had a showcase where we invited agents and casting directors. I wasn’t signed by an agent after the final showcase but it opened my eyes to the possibility and made me more determined to achieve my goals. Getting an agent showcase certainly isn’t on offer for all part-time acting courses.
2. Acting Gymnasium I was part of this acting workshop led by Gavin McAlinden on and off for about 18 months. It exposed me to a great group of people that I still meet up with now and count as my best acting friends. I was part of voice workshops which were second to none and taught me to up my game in terms of doing both UK regional and international accents. I was incredibly inspired by some of my peers who were just able to switch from doing a Carribean accent to then mimicking a Japanese accent. I performed as Christine in ‘Miss Julie’ which was a good experience in terms of matching my casting type and gave me the chance to perform at one of London’s best fringe venues, Theatre Technis in Camden. Also, the performances introduced me to the fringe theatre scene and also I attended the professional business of acting workshop which was helpful in terms of helping me to understand what networking truly means. The acting pool is a small one and I am always delighted to bump into old friends when I support other shows.
3. Central School of Speech and Drama The quality of the short courses (evening) in particular are second to none at CSSD. I thoroughly enjoyed my highly intensive voice and Shakespeare courses and met some very talented people indeed. The tutors at one of London’s most prestigious drama schools are inspirational, motivated and the courses are jam packed with juicy content. I could have easily gone onto many more but was acutely aware that I was staying in my training comfort zone and not pushing myself out there for audition opportunities. The courses that I hope to do in the future are the acting with text which I think would really prepare one for cold reads and textual analysis of classical pieces, given that I don’t have an English Literature or drama degree!
4. MN Academy This school offers a three-term course over 1 year to train actors in the art of screen acting. Having predominantly trained and subsequently always worked on stage, learning to act on screen was a vital component of my toolkit. At the end of each term, you produce a short showreel which is your assessment for progressing to the next term. It was unfortunate that we didn’t get to keep the showreel but the reality of being able to use it as footage on Spotlight or to send to casting directors probably wasn’t viable as a lot of the time, we were permitted to play characters outside of our casting type. At the end of term three, you are invited to perform in front of the directors of the school as they also an agency but only take on very limited numbers. Do the course for the craft, not for the agency opportunity. For those who are serious about acting professionally, the school also offers a business acting masterclass over 2–3 sessions to learn about getting an agent and marketing material. I was all set to do this but work commitments during the day prevented me from doing so.
5. City Lit
I still get goose bumps when I think about this hidden gem and the fantastic opportunities this multi-disciplinary provider offers. I have done a wide range of evening courses here; including language classes. The two acting classes that were the most beneficial for me were the voice and movement courses. They are incredible value for money as you sign up for a 6-week course with small class numbers. The tutors are industry professionals and you very much get hands-on 1:1 support with physical movement if you are not doing it correctly. There are a fantastic range of short courses that I still want to discover in terms of voiceover, radio and accent work. I will get around to doing them as and when I need them in my toolkit.
Word of warning- short courses in their own right will not get you a Spotlight pin. I made this foolhardy error after finishing Rose Bruford but it took me a good five years after finishing the course before I made any major breakthroughs (this was partly due to needing to work full-time and also not having a clear focus). Training for your craft is certainly your foundation and platform for gaining more experience on the fringe scene and breaking into film and tv BUT expect to do the hard miles long after any training course finishes. You have to earn your place through work opportunities and obtaining a minimum number of credits.