REHEARSAL AND PERFORMANCE - 2025/6
Module code: ACTM051
Module Overview
In this module students are given the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills they have been developing in other modules - Stage Acting, Voice Technique and Movement Technique - to the practical work of rehearsal and performance of theatre scripts. An initial in-class presentation of a rehearsed play (¿Bridge¿ project) models the actor-director relationship, and leads to a public-facing production of a play led by a visiting professional director. Students are encouraged to reflect upon their process of creating a sophisticated and effective performance in the public production through presentation of a character journal in a viva setting.
Thus, the module provides a platform for students to further refine their grasp of fundamental principles of actor training as well as the more advanced, sophisticated technical, creative and collaborative requirements placed upon the professional stage performer.
Module provider
Guildford School of Acting
Module Leader
TUNSTALL Darren (GSA)
Number of Credits: 30
ECTS Credits: 15
Framework: FHEQ Level 7
Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A
Overall student workload
Independent Learning Hours: 100
Practical/Performance Hours: 200
Module Availability
Semester 2
Prerequisites / Co-requisites
N/A
Module content
Indiciative module content includes:
'Bridge' project: a rehearsal and in-class presentation of a selected play
Public production of a selected play
Assessment pattern
Assessment type | Unit of assessment | Weighting |
---|---|---|
Practical based assessment | Rehearsal and Performance of Bridge Project | 30 |
Practical based assessment | Rehearsal and Performance of Public Production | 40 |
Coursework | Rehearsal Portfolio and Viva | 30 |
Alternative Assessment
N/A
Assessment Strategy
The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate:
- Advanced acting skills to a professional standard
- Collaborative skills, discipline and coherence of approach to stage acting
- Self-reflective evaluative awareness of personal approach to development of character for theatrical performance
Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:
- In-class performance of 'Bridge' project ( addressing learning outcomes 1,2,3 and 4)
- Performance of public production (addressing learning outcomes 1,2,3 and 4)
- Viva with portfolio (addressing learning outcome 5)
Formative assessment
Formative assessment occurs on a continuous basis, with students receiving feedback on work undertaken from the director/tutor as appropriate.
Feedback
Summative feedback for the assessment tasks is given in written or audio form on the virtual learning environment following the the 'Bridge' project, and after the Public Production and subsequent Viva with Portfolio. In addition, verbal formative feedback is given during the rehearsal and performance projects on each assessment by the tutor/director as appropriate.
Module aims
- Assist the student to build their own bridge between training and the profession
- Introduce the student to professional contexts and protocols
- Deepen the student's creative and technical approach to characterization for stage performance
Learning outcomes
Attributes Developed | Ref | ||
---|---|---|---|
001 | Demonstrate advanced acting skills to a professional standard in both live and recorded formats. | P | EMPLOYABILITY, DIGITAL |
002 | Show an advanced understanding of the performance context, style, and genre. | CK | GLOBAL & CULTURAL, SUSTAINABILITY |
003 | Display excellent collaborative skills, discipline, and consistency in practice, meeting professional standards. | PT | EMPLOYABILITY, SUSTAINABILITY, RESOURCEFULNESS & RESILIENCE |
004 | Effectively communicate ideas and concepts through physical, verbal, digital, and written formats. | CKPT | DIGITAL, EMPLOYABILITY, RESOURCEFULNESS & RESILIENCE |
005 | Analyse, reflect upon, and evaluate your work and the work of others, demonstrating a high level of critical thinking and self-assessment skills. | CKT | RESOURCEFULNESS & RESILIENCE |
Attributes Developed
C - Cognitive/analytical
K - Subject knowledge
T - Transferable skills
P - Professional/Practical skills
Methods of Teaching / Learning
The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:
- Introduce the student to a variety of professional contexts and protocols;
- Assist the student in building their own bridge between training and the profession;
- Encourage the student to develop a coherent and self-reflective personal approach to developing a character for stage performance
The learning and teaching methods include:
- Rehearsals for 'Bridge' project
- Rehearsals for Public Production
Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.
Reading list
https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: ACTM051
Other information
Digital Capabilities
Students engage with digital technologies to develop their technical literacy and support their learning. Students use non-specialist software for communication, administration and planning such as the VLE and will draw upon a range of digital technologies to assist with creation of their viva portfolio. Students will make use of assessments make use of digital technologies for feedback.
Employability
Employability is baked into the teaching, learning and assessment on this module to help foster a professional attitude in students. Staff, including visiting directors, draw upon their professional experience in to deliver a student experience that models contexts and protocols within the acting profession as closely as possible. Students develop transferable skills in team collaboration, creative thinking and problem solving.
Global and Cultural Capabilities
MA Acting students are drawn from a broad base of applicants including international students, thus there is a wide and varying range of experience and knowledge contributing to the culture of the programme in each year. The curriculum encourages students to enhance their cultural awareness through its focus on style and genre. Students with additional learning needs are signposted to the university's support services, and GSA has a dedicated Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Manager.
Resourcefulness and Resilience
The need for students to manage uncertainty, risks and challenges and deal with the responsibilities of working as part of a team is built into the programme's educational aims and learning outcomes. Students work towards achieving professional standards in rehearsal and performance contexts, in line with expectations for a successful career as an actor. Formative and summative feedback is geared towards students¿ progress towards these standards as they develop a coherent personal approach to their work.
Sustainability
Students are invited to reflect on the impact of their work in social, economic and environmental terms, and to consider how they may take responsibility for achieving professional standards that promote wellbeing. GSA is committed to sustainable practices in its output, including in the public productions that optimize resources, and students are taught how to create work that is sustainable in all senses of the word.
Programmes this module appears in
Programme | Semester | Classification | Qualifying conditions |
---|---|---|---|
Acting MA | 2 | Compulsory | A weighted aggregate mark of 50% is required to pass the module |
Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.