Acting: Play (16+)

“Anyway, it’s wonderful, really, in a way – sitting here and waiting for the miracle to happen.”

During this six-day summer school, you will have the opportunity to take part in the intensive casting, rehearsing and performance of the classic Henrik Ibsen play A Doll’s House.

The course is suitable for aspiring actors who wish to develop performance skills and build on previous experience.

The course is taught by an experienced theatre director and students will benefit from participating in a simulated professional rehearsal and production process. Workshops will explore techniques which can enhance character development and story-telling, and students will become acquainted with the essentials of textual analysis.

The course is practical, rigorous and aims to challenge participants technically and creatively. It aims to create an inspiring, challenging and supportive environment for ambitious actors to increase their performance experience.

By the end of the courses students should have:

• Strengthened their acting skills, in particular voice and character development
• Experienced a professional approach to casting and rehearsing
• Participated in a range of skill-based masterclasses
• Worked towards a finished production as an acting ensemble

The final performance will take place on the last day of the course.

If you have any questions in advance of booking, please contact us at summerschools@rcs.ac.uk or (0044) 141 270 8213.

You may also be interested in the following courses: Acting for Camera (16+), Acting Audition Preparation, Acting: Shakespeare

This is an open access course which is suitable for anyone over 16 who is interested in taking part in an intensive rehearsal and performance experience, however previous acting experience is recommended to get the most out of the teaching.

The course is designed so that motivated students will benefit from the study, and the tutors are experienced in teaching across all levels of skill and experience.

Students should be open, honest, generous, respectful, willing to take risks, hard-working and happy to participate in new challenges. The course would particularly benefit people wishing to:

• build on or refresh previous acting experience
• explore this as a pathway towards or as an alternative to full-time training
• investigate the possibilities of pursuing a career in acting

During the course students should dress appropriately in loose and comfortable clothing and be prepared to work without shoes if required. We also ask that students to bring rehearsal clothes to the summer school, i.e. clothes that are dark and neutral.

Students should bring water as workshop activities in this course will be physical. Students should also bring a pad and pen to make notes during classes.

Many of our students travel from across the world to join us for an open day, study on a short course or attend a summer school at the Royal Conservatoire. Our courses do not include accommodation and students are required to organise this independently.

Bespoke accommodation designed specifically for performing arts students, Base Glasgow is just minutes from the Royal Conservatoire’s two campuses at Renfrew Street and the Wallace Studios at Speirs Locks. You can save on transport costs while being close to all that the city has to offer, from theatres, music venues and shops to restaurants and bars.

Base Glasgow, is located on McPhater Street and is home to a stylish mix of contemporary shared flats and studio apartments, all of which are en- suite. It’s the only student accommodation in Scotland built to cater to the needs of performers, with five soundproofed practice spaces. It also has a cinema, gym and social living spaces.

Facilities include soundproofed practice and rehearsal spaces, on-site gym, up to 125Mbps Wi-Fi, all utility bills included, cinema, communal games room, communal study rooms and courtyard.

Please note that this accommodation is only for students aged 16+, places are strictly limited so please book early to avoid disappointment.

Summary of Base Glasgow offer:

Age of students: strictly 16yrs +

Cost: £171 per week

If you have any access requirements, Base Glasgow are happy to discuss accommodation arrangements to ensure they suit you.

The Conservatoire is not able to make reservations on your behalf.  Please contact Base Glasgow with any queries.

If you are having trouble finding accommodation, please contact us directly and we will aim to help you find somewhere to stay.

If you would prefer to stay in hostel, B&B or hotel, you can go to the Visit Scotland website for further options.

Promotional Offers

We offer a selection of promotional offers for our Short Courses, take a look!

To receive the promotional offer code, contact shortcourses@rcs.ac.uk before booking a course.

The course runs Monday 24 July – Saturday 29 July, from 10am to 5pm. There will be a short sharing of the work students have been engaging with on the Friday afternoon for invited family and friends.

“A fun, exciting and enjoyable way to stage a play. A great way to meet new people and develop new skills too.” (2019 participant)

“Inspiring, fun, dynamic, interesting…I really enjoyed working with the whole group. In only 6 days we created a nice cohesion! The tutors were inspiring, clear, easy going and fun! The only thing there is more to say, I definitely would like more of it!” (2019 participant)

“An opportunity for all levels of actors to work with a fantastic director who gives clear and structured instructions. A great balance between fun and creating something worthwhile. An excellent experience that is worth doing for all interested in performance and plays.” (2019 participant)

“It was insightful as well as entertaining. It also taught me valuable lessons about how to properly portray the complexities of a character & their desires.”(2019 participant)

“This course is amazing, a once in a life time experience where you can meet people from all around the world with similar intentions and interests in drama. In this course you can tackle sensitive subjects and learn more about acting , futures in drama and yourself.” (2018 participant)

Agnes Allan Bursary

Agnes Allan was a teacher, passionate about inclusion, and this bursary scheme exists to offer support to students to participate in the performing or production arts.

The Agnes Allan Bursary provides some support to students who may require financial assistance to take part in a short course in dance, drama, music, production or screen.

Anyone who wishes to take part in our Short Courses and faces a financial barrier can apply for bursary support to help meet the cost of tuition fees.

More information about the Agnes Allan Bursary.

James McAvoy Drama Scholarships

Bafta-winning and Golden Globe nominated actor James McAvoy is committed to nurturing the creative potential of young Scots who experience barriers to access and participate in drama at RCS Short Courses.

James is a graduate of the BA Acting programme at RCS and Patron of the Junior Conservatoire of Drama. The Glasgow-born actor has funded the new James McAvoy Drama Scholarships to enable young people to experience the world-class drama training at RCS as he did.

The scholarship aims to support applicants who would otherwise find meeting the cost of tuition fees at RCS a barrier to accessing pre-Higher Education drama training at the Royal Conservatoire.

More information about the James McAvoy Drama Scholarship.