Welcome to your course
I am delighted that you have decided to study Acting at the University of Cumbria with us starting this September. I know that you will receive lots of information in the following weeks, so I hope you will find this webpage useful. Please do take your time to read it all carefully.
I am confident that you will find your time at the University of Cumbria engaging, exciting and fun but I also understand that it can be a daunting time as well. If you have any questions at all, or would like talk through any concerns please do not hesitate in contacting me. My contact details can be found below.
Welcome Week will allow you to meet all the Performing Arts students and staff at the University of Cumbria. As well as the important social side, you will also be introduced to life as a student at the University of Cumbria.
Dr. Jez Colclough
Programme Leader BA (Hons) Acting
jez.colclough@cumbria.ac.uk
Being fit and healthy will allow you to cope with the demands of the course more effectively so spend some time exercising and developing healthy eating habits.
We recommend that students visit the theatre regularly and take in as many performances as possible. Please also read reviews of shows and get an idea of what is happening in the theatre world. ‘The Stage’ is an invaluable source of news and reviews for British theatre.
Clothing and Equipment
In addition to general equipment (pens, pencils, notebooks, tablets / laptops etc.) students are required to wear sensible, plain black clothes and comfortable black, flat footwear for all their classes. Clothing should provide for a freedom of movement (i.e. be flexible and comfortable). You will therefore need to purchase the following clothing and equipment for the BA (Hons) Acting Programme.
For voice and acting classes students should ensure that they have plenty of:
- Neutral black trousers, leggings and/or tracksuit bottoms.
- Neutral black t-shirts.
- Neutral black long-sleeved baggy tops or sweatshirts (no hoods).
- Neutral black socks.
- Neutral black, flat shoes.
For movement classes students should also have:
- Neutral black shorts, footless tights, unitards or leotards.
- Neutral black, jazz shoes (preferably split soled).
- A Pilates / Yoga mat.
Students should not wear jeans, skirts, hipster trousers or revealing tops to class and should only wear ‘necessary’ jewelry (preferably only earring studs and no rings).
On the BA (Hons) Acting degree students are also expected to have the following ‘smart’ practical wear for use in showings and performances.
- A neutral black jacket.
- A neutral white shirt.
- A neutral black shirt.
- Neutral black socks.
- A pair of neutral black, dress shoes.
Pre-course Reading
You will need to purchase the following core texts for your first year of study on the BA (Hons.) Acting Programme:
Plays:
- Medea by Euripides – Methuen Student Edition – ISBN 978-0413770301
- Lysistrata by Aristophanes – Penguin Classics – ISBN 978-0140448146
- Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare – Arden Shakespeare – ISBN 978-1903436998
- Hamlet by William Shakespeare – Arden Shakespeare – ISBN 978-1904271338
- A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen – Methuen Student Edition – ISBN 978-1408106020
- The Government inspector by Nikolai Gogol – Faber and Faber – 978-0571280490
- Marber, P. (1997) Closer London: Methuen
Text Books:
- Knight, D. (2012) Speaking with Skill London: Methuen
- Berry, C. (1991) Voice and the Actor San Francisco: Jossey Bass
- Merlin, B. (2007) The Complete Stanislavsky Toolkit London: Nick Hern Books
- Bruder, M. Cohn, L. Olenk, M. Pollack, N. Previto, R & Zigler, S. (1986) A Practical Handbook for the Actor New York: Vintage
- Medea by Euripides – Methuen Student Edition – ISBN 978-0413770301
- Lysistrata by Aristophanes – Penguin Classics – ISBN 978-0140448146
- Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare – Arden Shakespeare – ISBN 978-1903436998
- Hamlet by William Shakespeare – Arden Shakespeare – ISBN 978-1904271338
- A Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen – Methuen Student Edition – ISBN 978-1408106020
- The Government inspector by Nikolai Gogol – Faber and Faber – 978-0571280490
Contact us
If you have any questions about your course, please don't hesitate to get in touch with our Admissions team.