BA (Hons) Drama

Eleanor

Drama is a very different degree experience compared to most others and it attracts a certain kind of academic. During my first year I took a sociology module to make up my final 30 credits as it was a subject I've always been interested in. From this experience I learnt a great deal about the sociological behaviours comparative between performance students and academic students. In my opinion, the best thing about my course is the outgoing, confident and friendly people I can call my fellow peers. Drama involves a great deal of group work which means that each year very quickly becomes somewhat like a family unit. There is also a big involvement between the academic years as first and third years always work together on final productions and it is practice that we all attend each other’s public performances in support. This means that lecture environments are somewhat different from the norm – not just because their held in a theatre space rather than a lecture hall – but also because of the general chitter-chatter and banter that goes on between students (and also with our lecturers who can’t resist joining in.)

Now onto the information that actually gains me my qualification. We study different periods of theatre throughout the ages starting in first year with early stages (Greek theatre etc). In the second year we then progress onto modern stages exploring plays from the mid-19^th century onwards ranging from A Dolls House by Henrik Ibsen to A Taste of Honey by Shelagh Delaney. Also in second year Physical Theatre becomes a module option which is an exploration of a number of different practitioners and techniques such as Meyerhold, Artaud, LeCoq, Bausch and Grotowski. This course ends with a devised physical performance where creative freedom is in abundance.
In third year, the module drama production feels like the crescendo of our course. It’s our chance to prove why we've spent as much as we have on a drama degree (which is often unfortunately disregarded as academic). The production is a replacement of a dissertation and therefore requires a great deal of commitment. In the end, a professional piece of theatre is produced that should not look out of place in the theatre world. This will feel like the pinnacle of my education and will help to prove myself as a performer. I can’t wait!

Finally, I find it important to say that with all degree’s most people find their special few lifelong friends, but with Drama, you can look back at your year book and remember all of your peers as being lifelong friends.