BA (Hons) Acting
BA (Hons) Acting Course Overview
Prepare for a career in theatre, film and performance as you explore world-renowned interdisciplinary actor training and theatrical practices to develop as an actor with depth and professional integrity, alongside creating and producing original, bold devised work on Fourth Monkey’s BA (Hons) Acting course.
Course Delivery
Fourth Monkey’s BA (Hons) Acting degree was designed by professional and experienced actors, directors, theatre makers, practitioners and scholars who are passionate about actor training and have a wealth of contemporary experience both nationally and internationally. Your course continues to be driven, taught and shaped by their first hand and diverse contact with the industry and their up-to-date understanding of the pertinent and most relevant disciplines vital for a creative and sustainable professional career within the contemporary industry.
It is our intention for you as an individual to be celebrated and to thrive and through rigorous actor training, self-exploration and performance excellence you will ‘learn by doing’ in a range of classes, masterclasses and performance seasons that will guide you to being industry ready in two years with the ability to ACT, MAKE, MOVE and COLLABORATE.
Throughout your training you will work practically in the studio and in a schedule of varied classes throughout the week. This ensures that you are consistently engaging holistically across your skillset to develop and sustain the capacity, dexterity, and performance fitness (mental and physical) required for professional acting work, and congruent with the life of an actor / theatre maker.
Alongside introductions to key artistic, socio-political, and philosophical principles, there are numerous in-camera and public performance opportunities within our theatre, on film and at other sites, including a West End venue for your final year industry showcase.
The ethos of this BA (Hons) Acting course is to afford opportunity for everyone to develop their own expressive and interpretive skills as an actor who seeks out physical and emotional truth in all they do.
You will graduate with the necessary skills to work in classical and contemporary theatre, television, film, radio and the digital world, as well as being an accomplished artist in your own right as a maker of your own work. Students are entitled to full Equity status upon graduation and qualify for inclusion on Graduate Spotlight as a key part of their professional progression to industry in the final year of study.
Core Modules
Level 4 – Core Principles & Application
- Discovering What Moves Me…
- Play!
- Who Am I?
- Technique Into Performance
- Expressive Exploration
- Creating My Own Work
Level 5 – Expansion & Professional Perspectives
- Widening Technical Practice
- Performance Projects
- Professional Preparation
- Contemporary Techniques
- Integrated Performance
Level 6 – Industry Facing… & Velocity!
- Contemporary Industry Season & Showcase
- Professional & Media Portfolio
- Creative Classical Project
- Experimental Performance Project
Enhancement Activities (Bootcamp!)
Alongside the practical training within the core modules, you also have enhancement opportunities which surround the core delivery within the study blocks in the form of bootcamps. These opportunities serve to focus you physically and mentally for the term ahead, encourage our multi-disciplinary ethos, widen your perspective and enhance your engagement with the profession. These sessions will sometimes include practical / physical skills which are assessed for a qualification outside the degree e.g. Stage Combat, guest workshops or Q & A sessions / masterclasses from visiting professionals.
Further Enhancement and Professional Development
Our BA (Hons) Acting students benefit from subsidised and some free access to extensive enrichment workshops and short courses as part of Fourth Monkey’s programme of professional development training.
You will also have the chance to become a teaching or year group representative, playing a vital role in shaping your training and the drama school during your time here. There is also the opportunity to work as Assistants for the Young Actors Company or at Auditions.
FAQs
Why are Fourth Monkey’s auditions free for all?
Fourth Monkey believes access to actor training starts at audition and we purposefully do not charge an audition fee for any applicant to support this mission. We have not charged auditions fees for four years now and prior to that Fourth Monkey offered 70% audition fee-wavers and the audition fee was previously fixed at £25 prior to it being removed completely in 2018.
How long has Fourth Monkey been delivering their training?
Fourth Monkey have been delivering our actor training courses since 2010. Our founders had been working with actors in training for twenty years prior to that and continue to work with our students to this day alongside our dedicated staff team and practitioners who are all working industry professionals by design. We only work with practitioners who are professionally engaged with the modern industry to ensure our training is current and relevant.
How many students do Fourth Monkey recruit for the BA (Hons) Acting Degree
Fourth Monkey recruit a maximum of 42 students to this course.
Who is this course suitable for?
Those with a desire to work in the industry and interdisciplinary artists and collaborators. A background in acting or performance is not essential but a desire to tell stories and make art is. We actively pursue a diverse pool of students in populating this course, with a wide-ranging skill-set and backgrounds to enable the creation of genuinely original collaborative relationships and work.
Do Fourth Monkey provide student halls of residence?
Like most London institutions, Fourth Monkey do not have our own dedicated halls of residence, however our students have access to a number of student housing halls of residence in our locality, whilst a vast majority of our students will choose to live in shared student housing with others training on our courses. More information can be found on the Student Life section of our website, but we advise all students to coordinate their housing arrangements as early as possible upon acceptance to avoid disappointment or delay.
How do I fund my training on this course?
Student finance is available for eligible students. Applications should be made directly with student finance upon acceptance of their place. More information can be found via our Fees & Funding page. Scholarships are also available.
Do Fourth Monkey support students with learning needs or disabilities to access their training?
Yes, Fourth Monkey is an inclusive and accessible school providing inclusive training by design. Students eligible for additional support, in the form of a student disability allowance should apply as early as possible once they have decided to accept their place to enable any available support to be place for the commencement of their studies. Those students unsure of their eligibility for a disabled student allowance should check with their GP, local health care professionals or education provider to ascertain if any additional support may be available via a DSA.
Do Fourth Monkey provide welfare support for their student body?
Yes. Fourth Monkey has a dedicated Student Welfare officer to support our students with their welfare and learning support needs.
What do Fourth Monkey graduates go on to do within the industry?
Our alumnus work right across the industry in a broad range of mediums. Working on stage, film, and television both within the UK, US and internationally for companies such as Warner Bros, Dreamworks, Netflx, Sky Atlantic, HBO, RSC, National Theatre & The Globe to name a few, whilst a number have also formed their own successful careers as writers, directors, producers, and theatre-makers. Refer to our alumni page for the latest news and to see where our alumni are currently working.
Academic Course Information
Applying to Fourth Monkey
Everything you need to know about the Fourth Monkey Application, Audition & Offer process.
Our Training Approach
Discover what to expect training with Fourth Monkey and what sets our training apart.
The Monkey House
Purpose-built acting and dance studios, rehearsal rooms and performance spaces, explore our drama school in London.
Student
Life
Get an insight into student life at Fourth Monkey whether studying with us at drama school in London or Bristol.
Health &
Wellbeing
We support our students throughout their time with us, creating a safe, nurturing envorinment and actively promoting physical and mental health.
Our
Alumni
Meet our talented alumni, who are creating & working professionally in TV, Theatre & Film, in the UK & Internationally.
