Theatre and Performance - BA (Hons)

University of Leeds

This course offers a dynamic combination of practical and theoretical study. With a focus on collaborative, contemporary performance, you’ll investigate different types of professional practice and actively engage with the cultural industries locally, regionally and internationally. You’ll develop your own creative practice within small groups at our specialist studios, based in our on-campus professional theatre, stage@leeds. Using digital technologies, you’ll having the opportunity to work with external partners and community groups which may include: Leeds Playhouse, Opera North and local theatre companies, schools, galleries, museums and institutions within the criminal justice system.You’ll also be introduced to a range of devising techniques and to digital performance as a key manifestation of contemporary performance practice. You’ll learn through a combination of lectures, workshops, practical experimentation and working with both specialist and readily available digital technologies.A distinctive feature of the course is an engagement with the social impact agenda, where you'll be invited to interrogate and practice the ways in which performance can make a difference to society and to consider themes such as sustainability, ethics, responsibility and inclusivity. You'll to reflect on the impact that performance has on societies and the place that performance occupies globally.You’ll work in collaboration with external agencies and organisations as a compulsory aspect of your studies and learn to apply performance skills in challenge-based projects for public audiences. You'll become an advocate of the creative arts and apply socially engaged performance practices in diverse ways. With compulsory and specialist optional modules spanning theatre, performance, applied theatre, design, digital performance, directing, musical theatre, event management, acting and collaborative practice, you’ll be able to follow a broad range of interests suited to your own academic and professional development.Additional highlightsThe course offers a unique blend of study across performance and cultural industries that sets it apart from similar courses both in the UK and internationally. Studying these two areas in conjunction with each other allows our students to develop:the creativity of the artistthe insight of the cultural activistthe dynamism of the entrepreneurThe skills gained on the course will prepare you for a wide variety of employment destinations across the creative and cultural industries. Opportunities to connect with industry and professional practitioners are embedded within the course and are supported through our Industry Advisory Panel and our close connections with regional, national and international cultural organisations.The School has a wide range of external links with leading arts and cultural organisations including:national and international touring theatre companies, DV8 Physical Theatre, Red Ladder and Blah Blah BlahLeeds Playhouse (with which the University has a formal partnership)award winning national opera company Opera North (with which the University has a formal partnership)Leeds based companies including: Slung Low, Invisible Flock, Riptide, Manic Chord, Phoenix Dance Theatre, City Varieties Music Hall, Leeds Grand TheatreTV film and digital companies and organisations: Channel 4, BBC, Limehouse Productions, Human VR, Live Cinema UK, Megaverse, XR StoriesIndependent artists and producers, Fuel Theatre, Louise Ann Wilson Company, I.O.U Freedom Studios, Bloomin Buds, Mind the Gapregional and city-based events including: Compass Festival, Leeds Light Night, Transform Festival, Yorkshire Festival, Kendal Mountain Festival, Furnace Festival.View examples of our student workSpecialist facilitiesOur School is based in stage@leeds, a purpose-built landmark building that sits at the heart of campus.