Applicants who apply on time (Scottish and rest of UK (RUK) – 31 January 2023, International (including EU) – 31 March 2023) are invited to an interview by email, approximately three weeks before. For September 2023 entry, we are currently planning for in-person interviews to take place in Glasgow as well as continuing to offer interviews in an online format for those who are not able to travel to an in-person event. We have many years of experience of conducting online interviews and have a well-established format and process in place, so no applicant will be disadvantaged by being assessed in this manner. If possible, we encourage candidates to select an in-person interview as this gives you the opportunity to view our facilities.
Please note that RCS is only obliged to offer one audition/interview date per application. Alternative dates will only be provided (subject to availability) in exceptional circumstances. If you are unable to make your allocated interview date, you should email us immediately stating the reason.
BA Production Arts and Design interviews will take place from December to May.
You will be required to identify your chosen major study subject at the point of application and your interview experience will be tailored to this choice. The five major subjects are:
- Scenery Construction
- Scenic Art
- Props Construction
- Costume Construction
- Set & Costume Design
As well as an interview with two members of programme staff (approx. 30-40 minutes), candidates interviewed in-person are offered a short tour of the Production Arts and Design facilities with a current student (15-20 minutes). At your interview, the panel will ask you about your previous experiences and your interests and hobbies and they will also want to discuss your response to the tasks noted below. In addition to these tasks, you should bring a portfolio of other work relevant to your application. If you have not completed the tasks, the panel will not be able to proceed with the interview.
The Aim of the Interview
The interview process is designed to ensure that you have every opportunity to demonstrate a commitment to and experience of theatre and the performing arts. The interview also allows the panel to satisfy themselves that you have the potential to develop the relevant skills and qualities necessary to succeed both on a degree-level programme and ultimately in a highly competitive profession. This could include:
- Creative skills
- Technical skills
- Analytical and reflective skills
- Communication skills
- Collaborative skills
- An ability to work independently
- Professional standards
To assess these skills, the interview panel will invite you to discuss your response to a number of predefined tasks. Therefore, prior to attending the interview, you should ensure you have responded to these three exercises:
- ‘About You’ questionnaire (completed online via Acceptd)
- Production/Performance Presentation (see below)
- Creative Technical Response Project (see below)
Candidates should ideally attend their interview in-person where possible and bring all relevant work to the interview, including their portfolio.
If you cannot attend in person, you MUST send us visual references (i.e. any images, drawings or written work you are providing as part of the tasks and other evidence of suitability for the programme) A MINIMUM OF FIVE WORKING DAYS in advance of the interview so that the panel can properly interrogate them in advance of the online interview. You will be required to digitise this work and upload it to Acceptd.
Production/Performance Presentation
You are asked to attend a performance of a production of your choice and be able to discuss your observations of this production with the panel. Ideally this should be a live production but, if this is not possible, a recorded or streamed stage production can be used.
This should be a recent professional production if possible but must not be one you have worked on. This may be an opportunity to challenge yourself by choosing a type of performance or venue that you have not experienced before. Remember we want to hear you talk about this so feel free to use notes to help you but do not write an essay to read out.
You should endeavour to give a clear account to the interview panel of the production elements such as the overall set & costume design, staging, costume, props, lighting, sound and stage technology. Whilst an overview of the directing or performances is sometimes useful, this is not what we want you to focus on.
Remember that, as a member of the audience, your opinion is valid and should be used to comment on the overall effect of the production and whether there was any specific element that you personally liked or disliked. You may also be asked to comment on how you would have approached certain elements differently, given the chance. It is often helpful to provide supplementary evidence of your visit such as publicity material or personal notes and sketches to illustrate a point.
Creative Technical Response Project
As part of the interview process, we require you to choose one of the following plays:
- Cloud 9 – Caryl Churchill
- Fences – August Wilson
- Leave Taking – Winsome Pinnock
- A View from the Bridge – Arthur Miller
- Nine Night – Natasha Gordon
- Cost of Living – Martyna Majok
- ‘Master Harold’….and the Boys – Athol Fugard
- Translations – Brian Friel
- Mary Queen of Scots Got Her Head Chopped Off – Liz Lochhead
- Topdog/Underdog – Suzan-Lori Parks
Source a copy of the script and study it with a view to communicating how you would address the production elements of this play relevant to your chosen major study subject (you do not necessarily need to cover the whole play). Assessment of this project is based on your ability to apply yourself to a given task and your ability to discuss and demonstrate practical and creative solutions to the production challenges.
What you need to do:
You should consider this task in relation to your identified major study subject and the design and/or practical staging challenges raised by the script for that area. Production Arts applicants are not required to design original pieces and may prefer to research previous productions to facilitate their task.
Scenic Construction applicants should consider the potential set building and possible methods/materials of construction.
Scenic Art applicants should consider the possible paint finishes they want to achieve and how they might do this.
Props Construction applicants should consider any potential for prop makes and how they might create these.
Costume Construction applicants should consider the potential costume makes and how they might create these.
Set and Costume Design applicants should provide physical evidence of design solutions by means of a model box, costume designs and other related drawings. This should be accompanied by evidence of your ideas and the development of your designs.
Alongside these tasks, each candidate is seen as an individual, and a holistic view is taken of your unique mix of qualities; therefore, the panel will be most interested to see any evidence of interests or experience to-date. Due to time restrictions, the panel will wish to see quality rather than quantity, so pick examples of your work that best illustrate your suitability for the programme. As well as evidence of the set tasks your portfolio of work may take any form you feel is appropriate and could include:
- Physical examples of work
- Photographs of previous work
- Models (3D renderings, images, etc.)
- Technical drawings and ground plans
- Audio/video files
- Other relevant production documentation
