Applicants who apply on time by 31 March 2024 are invited to an interview by email, approximately three weeks before. All interviews will take place online, with individual requests for in-person interviews considered.
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 Technology and Management interviews will take place from January to March.
The Interview Format
You will be required to identify your chosen specialist subject pathway at the point of application and your interview will be tailored to this choice.
The four specialisms are:
- Stage Management
- Lighting
- Sound
- Stage Technology
Your interview will involve an in-person conversation with two staff members from the Programme. (approx. 30 minutes). At your interview, the panel will ask you about your academic record, previous experiences and your interests and hobbies and your response to the task(s) below.
The aim of the interview
The interview process is designed to ensure that you have every opportunity to demonstrate a commitment to and experience thus far in theatre and the performing arts. The interview also allows for 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 previous experiences and your portfolio of work.
Your portfolio of work may take any form you feel is appropriate and could include:
- Prompt books, setting lists, props lists, scene breakdowns, running lists
- Cue sheets, colour calls, lighting plans, patch sheets
- Photographs of previous work
- Technical drawings and ground plans
- Short audio and/or video clips
- Testimonials/Certificates
- Other relevant production documentation
At your interview, the panel will also ask you about a production you have seen (see brief one below), but they will focus primarily on your portfolio so if you feel you currently do not have much evidence, we strongly recommend that you undertake the creative response task (see brief two below). You may wish to do this anyway to supplement other work in your portfolio.
There will also be an opportunity for you to ask questions about the programme and discuss any other interests you have that may be relevant.
If you are not able to attend in person, you can request an online interview. In this instance, you should send us your portfolio a minimum of three working days in advance of the interview so that the panel can properly interrogate this. You will be required to digitise this work and upload to ‘Acceptd’.
Brief One – Production/Performance Visit (Compulsory)
Please attend a stage performance of your choice and be able to discuss your observations of this event with the panel. Ideally this should be a live performance 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 not 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. The panel will want to hear your opinion of the production during the interview so prepare some notes to help you but don’t write an essay to read out.
You should try to give a clear account of the production elements such as the overall set & costume design, staging, costume, props, lighting, sound and stage technology to the interview panel. Whilst an overview of the directing or performances is sometimes useful, this is not what we want you to focus on.
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.
Brief Two – Supplementary Creative Response Task (Optional)
- Source a copy of the play, Macbeth by William Shakespeare. This can be found online here Macbeth – Entire Play, Read for Free (thecompleteworksofshakespeare.com)
- Having read the play, have a particular look at Act 1 Scene i – iii and come to the interview ready to discuss your solutions to any production challenges you see in the script or stage directions relating to your specialism.
- Create a portfolio of work including relevant subject specific paperwork and other evidence of creative solutions (See portfolio of work above)