• Postgraduate

Acting and Theatre Making MA

Overview

Overview

On our Acting and Theatre Making MA degree course, you will explore your practice both as an actor/creator and theatre practitioner. 

You will investigate and develop your skills and knowledge of theatre languages, including text, music, space, or physicality. You will observe creative processes, acting, and embodiment from varying viewpoints, including: 

  • creation of original work using a variety of theatre languages 
  • adaptation of existing material with dramatic potential 
  • differing approaches to characterisation within broader socio-political, cultural, and geographical contexts.    

Whilst developing your theatre practice skills, you will also investigate the planning involved in studio practice, including the facilitation of workshops and leading rehearsals, and carry these through to curating and creating performance events. 

The aim is for you to become an independent theatre practitioner that can build or expand a career in theatre through creating and producing your work, but also applying your skills to interrelated activities such as theatre research, curating events, or facilitating workshops.

Three actors on stage silhouetted in front of a red curtain

Select your desired study option, then pick a start date to see relevant course information:

Study options:
We support flexible study by offering some of our courses part-time or via distance learning. To give you real world experience before you graduate, we also offer some courses with a placement or internship. All available options are listed here. Your choices may affect some details of your course, such as the duration and cost per year. Please re-check the details on this page if you change your selection.

Start date:

If your desired start date is not available, try selecting a different study option.

Why study Acting and Theatre Making with us?

Why study Acting and Theatre Making with us?

What our students say…

My experience of LCM was positive in every sense - a warm, supportive, and inspiring institution within which to study. I never ceased to be impressed by the dedication and talent of the inspirational staff. I am so thankful to each and every one of them for helping me to achieve my dreams and grow, not just as a performer, but also as a person.

Jefferson Parlett
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London College of Music: founded in 1887
£1m+ investment in the Paragon Annex Studios. Our studio complex is now one of the largest in Europe.
UWL boasts a 200-seat fully equipped studio theatre
study full time or part time
Course detail & modules

Course detail & modules

This course investigates your practice as an actor/creator and a theatre practitioner.  It allows you to consider innovative approaches to performing and curating performance events. 

The course culminates with a Practice-Research Project which allows you to share your development and findings within the field of acting and theatre making.   

Throughout your studies, you will work within and be supported by the London College of Music, enabling you to collaborate across subject areas.

Additionally, you will have the opportunity to develop new work with practitioners on other courses.

Compulsory modules

  • Acting: Exploring Text and Character

    In this module, you will explore the performance possibilities available for the actor based on your investigation of texts. Through this exploration you will look at how the actor approaches text and character creation, using language, style, context, translation, adaption, and culture. Throughout this module, you are encouraged to be sensible to current debates and issues affecting the actor and the student as a global citizen.

  • Embodied Performance

    This module will introduce you to voice, movement and physical composition. From established physical approaches to theatre and movement such as those of Laban, Lecoq, the Viewpoints or Michael Chekhov to a range of contemporary performance and live art practices that are challenging. and sometimes contentious. You will embark on an individual and collective journey of discovery within your body, challenge yours and others practice, and develop your own movement and creative language.

  • Performing Voice and Text

    In this module, you will explore and develop voice and speech techniques applied to text in performance. Interrogating your own vocal habits and identities, you will engage with performance practices around voice, text and language creatively and critically. In conjunction with Acting: Exploring Text and Character, this module will equip you with embodied skills and critical abilities to develop creative, nuanced and socially conscious responses to textual materials.

  • Facilitating Practice

    In the module, you will explore the range of approaches to planning and facilitating workshops and rehearsals. Through detailed practice research, you will increase your understanding of the needs and abilities of specific contexts ranging from educational, community and professional. During the module, you will investigate critically varying approaches to workshop and rehearsal practice and through practice, you will critically investigate approaches that informs and enhances your practice in workshops and rehearsals.

  • Curating Performance

    In this module, you will examine the significant developments in contemporary theatre and performance, with reference to staging and presenting work to audiences. In this module, you will conduct a detailed analysis and exploration of the contemporary transformations to the traditional concepts of space and place, performance, and performativity. You will be asked to explore the influence of performance space on audience reception and on your own creative practices in your curation of a performance event.

  • Research in Theatre

    This module will provide you with an introductory understanding of the historical and cultural development of performance through both practical and critical exploration, from the mid-twentieth century to the contemporary moment. To do this, you will consider significant moments, key movements, and important practitioners across the field of performing arts. In addition, you will examine performance works within their historical, social, cultural, and political contexts.

  • Masters Project (Performance and Theatre Practice)

    This module aims to support you in developing your own performance practice through a deep investigation into an aspect of your work or a relevant method of performance practice. It will introduce you to the process of conducting, documenting and evaluating practice research in the discipline of theatre and performance. You will design your own investigation into an aspect of performance practice and carry out this inquiry, resulting in a performative output that will be presented (or performed)

Entry requirements

Entry requirements

You will need:

  • a minimum of a 2:1 degree in or related to Performing Arts, Performance or Theatre
  • 1,000-word essay - see below
  • any video links to your performance/theatre work.
Essay question for applicants

If you were asked to develop a theatre or performance project which used your practice as research, what would you do? 

In this essay, we would like you to identify your research interests in the field of acting and theatre making, and how these would inform your own practice. You can give some examples of research methods to outline a practice-based theatre or performance project that you might undertake focused on your areas of interest.   

You are welcome and encouraged to use academic references and to present existing examples of your practice. 

If you have any questions about these requirements or the program, feel free to contact Alejandro.Postigo@uwl.ac.uk

Submitting your essay

Please submit your essay along with links to any video links of your performance/theatre work. You can upload it to your online application (see 'how to apply' below).

Useful references

  • Borgdorff, H. (2006) The Debate on Research in the Arts. Amsterdam: Felix Meritus. 
  • Borgdorff, H., 2010. The Production Of Knowledge In Artistic Research. In H. Karlsson & M. Biggs, eds. The Routledge Companion to Research in the Arts. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, pp. 44–63. 
  • Collins, H., 2010. Creative Research: The Theory and Practice of Research for the Creative Industries, Bloomsbury Academic. 
  • Smith, H. and Dean, R. T. (2009). Practice-led research, research-led practice in the creative arts. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. Chicago Press
6.5 IELTS or above

You need to meet our English language requirement of 6.5 overall score for IELTS, with a minimum of 5.5 for each of the 4 individual components (Reading, Writing, Speaking and Listening). Visit our English language requirements page for information on other English language tests we accept.

You also need academic qualifications at the same level as UK applicants. In some countries where teaching is in English, we may accept local qualifications. Check for local equivalents.

We offer pre-sessional English language courses if you do not meet these requirements. Find out more about our English Language courses.

 
Academic requirements

As part of your application, we will ask you to provide us with:

  • two references (one academic)
  • 1,000-word essay - see below
  • any video links to your performance/theatre work.
Essay question for applicants

If you were asked to develop a theatre or performance project which used your practice as research, what would you do? 

In this essay, we would like you to identify your research interests in the field of theatre and performance, and how these would inform your own practice. You can give some examples of research methods to outline a practice-based theatre or performance project that you might undertake focused on your areas of interest.   

You are welcome and encouraged to use academic references and to present existing examples of your practice. 

If you have any questions about these requirements or the program, feel free to contact Alejandro.Postigo@uwl.ac.uk

Submitting your essay

Please submit your essay along with links to any video links of your performance/theatre work. You can upload it to your online application (see 'how to apply' below).

Useful references

  • Borgdorff, H. (2006) The Debate on Research in the Arts. Amsterdam: Felix Meritus. 
  • Borgdorff, H., 2010. The Production Of Knowledge In Artistic Research. In H. Karlsson & M. Biggs, eds. The Routledge Companion to Research in the Arts. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, pp. 44–63. 
  • Collins, H., 2010. Creative Research: The Theory and Practice of Research for the Creative Industries, Bloomsbury Academic. 
  • Smith, H. and Dean, R. T. (2009). Practice-led research, research-led practice in the creative arts. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press. Chicago Press
Fees & funding

Fees & funding

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The fee above is the cost per year of your course.

If your course runs for two years or more, you will need to pay the fee for each academic year at the start of that year. If your course runs for less than two years, the cost above is for your full course and you will need to pay the full fee upfront.

Government regulation does affect tuition fees and the fees listed for courses starting in the 2025/26 academic year are subject to change.

If no fee is shown above then the fees for this course are not available yet. Please check again later for updates.

Funding your studies

If you are studying a Masters course you may be eligible to apply for a Postgraduate Loan, this may help contribute towards your course fees and living costs.

Additional funding is available to some types of students, such as disabled students or those with dependants.

We offer a range of scholarships and bursaries, including awards for specific subjects.

Awards for music students are also on offer.

View full details, including conditions and eligibility.

{{ formatCurrencyValue(currentVariantData.field_p_cv_int_main_fee.name) }} per year

The fee above is the cost per year of your course.

If your course runs for two years or more, you will need to pay the fee for each academic year at the start of that year. If your course runs for less than two years, the cost above is for your full course and you will need to pay the full fee upfront.

Government regulation does affect tuition fees and the fees listed for courses starting in the 2025/26 academic year are subject to change.

If no fee is shown above then the fees for this course are not available yet. Please check again later for updates.

International students - funding your studies

We offer scholarships for international students including International Ambassador Scholarships. 

Further information about funding and financial support for international students is available from the UK Council for International Student Affairs.

 

Teaching staff

Teaching staff

Dr Alejandro Postigo Profile Photo

Dr Alejandro Postigo

Courses taught:

  • Course Leader of the MA Acting and Theatre Making.
  • Lecturer in BA Musical Theatre: Acting Through Song, Movement and Research modules.
  • Link Tutor to Academic Partner Institutions: Tanzwerk101, Dundee & Angus College, Creative Academy & Addict Dance Academy.  

Courses taught:

  • Course Leader of the MA Acting and Theatre Making.
  • Lecturer in BA Musical Theatre: Acting Through Song, Movement and Research modules.
  • Link Tutor to Academic Partner Institutions: Tanzwerk101, Dundee & Angus College, Creative Academy & Addict Dance Academy.  
Study & career progression

Study & career progression

four actors stand in a circle around a fifth actor on a stage. They are all wearing period costumes and the actor in the middle is jumping for joy whilst the others point at them.

With a masters in acting and theatre making, you can go on to pursue a career in theatre. 

As well as acting and theatre-making skills, you will have gained a range of transferable skills including:  

  • a broad knowledge of a diverse range of theatrical styles  
  • an ability to engage in professional dialogue  
  • an ability to work effectively with others.
How to apply

How to apply

Facilities

Facilities

Lawrence Hall, a black box theatre at the University of West London

Performance spaces

Our flexible, professionally-equipped performance spaces include Lawrence Hall, a 200-seat black box studio theatre, and Vestry Hall, a classical music performance space featuring a Steinway B Concert Grand piano, concert tuned percussion and seating for up to 150 

Production Studio 1 at the University of West London

Production studios

We have four black box production rooms featuring performance dance floors, ballet barres, wall mirrors and ¾ drapes. All rooms have PA and AV support in all rooms. The digital stage pianos are by Roland.

A music practice room at the University of West London

One-to-one teaching pods

We have five acoustically isolated teaching pods featuring Roland and Korg digital pianos and mirrors to facilitate one-to-one teaching in voice.

A music performance room at the University of West London

Music performance rooms

All music performance rooms feature drums and backline plus PA support.

  • Drums by Roland and Pearl.
  • Backline by Marshall, Orange, Line 6, Fender and Gallien-Kruger
  • Stage pianos by Korg and Roland
  • Synths by Roland and Kurzwiel
  • PA by Yamaha, ABT and Nexo.
Basement practice room at the University of West London

Basement practice rooms

  • All LCM practice rooms benefit from LCM’s All Steinway School status to bring you the very best instruments.
  • Three percussion practice and teaching rooms.
  • Percussion rooms feature Pearl kits with recording and playback systems.
Media Resource Centre at the University of West London

Media Resource Centre

At our Media Resource Centre (used by all subject areas) you'll find extensive portable audio recording systems, including up to 24 track digital HD recording and portable Focusrite RedNet systems.

There is also video-camera and accessory support, including LED and tungsten lighting systems, track and dolly systems and stedi-cam rigs.

Important notes for applicants

Disclaimer

*Modern universities - defined as higher education institutions that were granted university status in, and subsequent to, 1992.

**The National Student Survey 2022 and 2023 - Based on an average of all 27 questions. Excludes specialist institutions.

Testimonials - our students or former students provided all of our testimonials - often a student from the course but sometimes another student. For example, the testimonial often comes from another UWL student when the course is new.

Optional modules - where optional modules are offered they will run subject to staff availability and viable student numbers opting to take the module.

Videos - all videos on our course pages were accurate at the time of filming. In some cases a new Course Leader has joined the University since the video was filmed.

Availability of placements - if you choose a course with placement/internship route we would like to advise you that if a placement/internship opportunity does not arise when you are expected to undertake the placement then the University will automatically transfer you to the non-internship route, this is to ensure you are still successful in being awarded a degree.