Our BA (Hons) Applied Theatre aims to inspire the next generation of passionate and skilled theatre-makers. Our focus is on developing the skills and understanding needed to create compelling new performances and theatre projects with purpose. We are concerned not only with how we make theatre, but also why.

WHAT'S COVERED IN THIS COURSE?

*media gallery images from 2017 'Do You See What I See' production.

The majority of what you will learn through studying Applied Theatre will be through practical experience. You will bring the skills and passion you have, and learn how to apply them; as well as gaining new skills in facilitation, devising, and all aspects of theatre-making. You will not only be creating new drama, but gaining the knowledge and understanding needed to engage communities, and exploring the world in the wide variety of environments covered by the term Applied Theatre – such as schools, community or health centres, prisons, hospitals, or out on the streets.

Our strong industry links and on-going relationships with many experienced practitioners and companies working in the field allow us to prepare you for a varied career. As the course progresses, you will work increasingly independently, spending six weeks of the second year on a full-time placement, and in the third year collaborating with fellow students in forming professional ‘companies’, working collectively in live situations. The course ends with a festival of Applied Theatre, which serves as a showcase of your work and a bridge to a wide range of employment.

At Royal Birmingham Conservatoire we believe that creating theatre with social and political objectives can have a significant impact on the lives of individuals and communities. We use performance as a tool to explore the world, raise awareness, educate, empower, and instigate real and lasting change.

As an emerging practitioner we will supply you with artistic space, autonomy and choice. With a primary focus on performance, you will also explore the reasons behind the work looking at its history and theories while developing an understanding of the need for constant research, discussion, reflection and development of your practice.

Our professional partnerships

The course is partnered with Birmingham Repertory Theatre, one of the UK's leading production theatres, which gives you fantastic opportunities to engage with The REP's facilities, productions and participation programmes. We also have strong ongoing relationships with Open Theatre one of the UK's leading learning disabled theatre companies, and Geese theatre, the ground-breaking prison theatre group. We also have connections with Big Brum, Women and Theatre, Hanyong Theatre Company, Stans Café and the Playhouse.

The course embraces students from a wide variety of performance backgrounds and actively encourages you to develop your own areas of interest and practice. Recent students have included spoken word artists, musicians/singers, dancers and those with interests as diverse as puppetry and arts administration. If you are passionate about the power of theatre, and you want to make your voice heard, this is definitely a course to consider.

Many students have gone on to work with one of the 50 small-scale and independent theatre companies in Birmingham, or elsewhere around the world, or to develop new companies, or pursue freelance work within Applied Theatre. Others have gone into other creative fields, or teaching or found that the skills they have gained on the course are transferrable across a wide range of work. 

Throughout the programme you will develop both personally and professionally, graduating as a fully-trained applied performance practitioner. You will develop the necessary knowledge, understanding and skill to develop a career within applied performance, and further afield. This course will give you the space to nurture and develop your talent, providing you with the skill to operate with reflective, specialist awareness.

An understanding of the relationship between theory and practice will be developed through exploration of a range of cultural and theoretical discourses. Establishing your research, academic, discussion and creative presentation skills you will develop confidence and competency in delivering work. You will establish yourself as a well-informed practitioner by developing an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the contexts and histories of applied performance, theatre and drama.

The practical skills you’ll develop will allow you to make interdisciplinary, original work, catering to the needs of specific audiences. You will be able to work collaboratively to devise and write performances. In addition to this you will nurture your ability to plan, write, develop and facilitate workshops for groups, catering to different needs and contexts.

You will learn a range of applied performance practical skills and methodologies appropriate to practice within community and educational contexts. Collaboration, leadership, communication, professionalism, and administration skills within professional contexts will be developed throughout the programme. This programme is designed with the purpose of encouraging you to realise your talent and skill. Through intensive work, and creative exploration you will develop versatility and a proactive attitude. You’ll graduate with the ability to take on numerous roles, particularly through the development of a specific set of skills.

PLACEMENTS

Our students spend six to eight weeks on placement in the second year, with theatre groups, community groups or schools, in the UK or abroad, as part of the Professional Practice and Administration module. The placement will be self-directed – you will hold the responsibility for identifying an organisation or company, and we will help facilitate this.

In the past students have undertaken placements at hosts such as: West Yorkshire Playhouse, Big Brum, The Playhouse, Women and Theatre, Birmingham mac, Birmingham REP Theatre, Chickenshed, Birmingham Hippodrome, Pines Special Needs School, Greenwich Young Peoples Theatre and Soho Theatre and Writer’s Centre.

The placement aspect of this course is designed to allow you to gain authentic experience of a working creative company or organisation. You will be expected to develop a comprehensive, hands-on understanding of the administrative requirements of a company, including getting a sense of suitable sources of financial support, or different types of investment that are relevant within a professional environment.