Overview
We're delighted to have you join us at Arts University Bournemouth
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We're delighted to have you join us at Arts University Bournemouth, and hope that your time here will be rewarding, challenging, creative and enjoyable.
Welcome to the BA (Hons) Acting course
This welcome pack is designed to give you an idea of what to expect during the first weeks of your course. Please take the time to read it carefully and take particular note of the pre-course preparation. We hope that you'll enjoy a happy and productive time with us, and we look forward to meeting you in October.
A message from your Course Leader
We're very excited that you are joining the BA (Hons) Acting degree course this year, and my colleagues and I are looking forward to welcoming you. We hope you'll enjoy the course and your time at Arts University Bournemouth.
Please read this pack carefully as it includes important information about your first week and certain items that you will need to purchase or bring with you for the start of the course. You'll find out more about the course and the University on arrival, but in the meantime you may wish to do some preparation.
As you'll already be aware, the BA (Hons) Acting course is a practice-based degree course in Acting that also contains some purely theoretical units. In our experience of running the course, some students struggle with more traditional academic work and we recommend that all of you undertake some preparatory reading this summer to equip you for the forthcoming year.
We also recommend that you spend some time this summer familiarising yourself with the acting industry by reading The Stage newspaper, exploring theatres and theatre companies that interest you, and watching as much theatre (live or recorded) as possible.
We look forward to meeting you soon!
- Katharine Piercey, Course Leader
Before you join us
The books that we recommend you purchase are books that will be used throughout the course and will very likely be needed in your first units of study. Whilst copies of these books are available in our library, there are limited numbers of them and you are strongly advised to have a personal copy. You'll receive a comprehensive reading list in your Course Handbook when you arrive.
- Benedetti, J. (2005) The Art of the Actor: The Essential History of Acting from Classical Times to the Present Day. London: Methuen (£18.00 used - £28 on Amazon).
- Zarrilli, P. et al. (2006) Theatre Histories: An Introduction. London: Routledge (£19 - £38 on Amazon depending on edition year and whether new or used. The 2010 and 2016 editions are also available as e-books from the AUB library which you will be able to access once you have enrolled).
- Rodenburg, P. (1997) The Actor Speaks. London: Methuen. (£7 - £23 on Amazon depending on edition year and whether new or used. Latest edition, 2019, recommended, but any will do)
- Merlin, B. (2007). The Complete Stanislavski Toolkit. London: Nick Hern Books (£10 – 13 on Amazon or on Nick Hern Books. Again, depending on edition and new or used. Any will do)
Please make an effort to purchase these. They will be useful throughout your degree course. Amazon is a good place to get them, or any reasonably stocked bookstore.
There is no summer project for this course.
The books that we recommend you purchase are books that will be used throughout the course and will very likely be needed in your first units of study. Whilst copies of these books are available in our library, there are limited numbers of them and you are strongly advised to have a personal copy. You'll receive a comprehensive reading list in your Course Handbook when you arrive.
- Benedetti, J. (2005) The Art of the Actor: The Essential History of Acting from Classical Times to the Present Day. London: Methuen (£18.00 used - £28 on Amazon).
- Zarrilli, P. et al. (2006) Theatre Histories: An Introduction. London: Routledge (£19 - £38 on Amazon depending on edition year and whether new or used. The 2010 and 2016 editions are also available as e-books from the AUB library which you will be able to access once you have enrolled).
- Rodenburg, P. (1997) The Actor Speaks. London: Methuen. (£7 - £23 on Amazon depending on edition year and whether new or used. Latest edition, 2019, recommended, but any will do)
- Merlin, B. (2007). The Complete Stanislavski Toolkit. London: Nick Hern Books (£10 – 13 on Amazon or on Nick Hern Books. Again, depending on edition and new or used. Any will do)
Please make an effort to purchase these. They will be useful throughout your degree course. Amazon is a good place to get them, or any reasonably stocked bookstore.
There is no summer project for this course.
If you read one thing before you arrive, we recommend...
The Art of the Actor: The Essential History of Acting from Classical Times to the Present Day
Current student work
Have a look through some of the work our current students are producing to get an idea of the type of work you may be doing on our course.
What to bring on your first day
- Notepad and pens/pencils
- A smile
We suggest that you bring the following items with you:
- Notepad and pens
- Memory stick or external hard drive for backing up your computer work
- Water bottle
- Plain black clothes that you can move freely in. These will be required for all movement, voice, singing and acting classes: t-shirts, tracksuit bottoms and leggings are most suitable. Please ensure they do not have zips, metallic bits or logos; and leggings must be opaque. Female students will need a sports bra for movement sessions. For warm weather you may wish to have short trousers.
Please note you will not be allowed to participate in acting and skills classes without appropriate clothing.
- Jazz shoes. You will often be asked to work barefoot in skills classes, but may wish to work in jazz shoes instead. Please bring with you a pair of black jazz shoes (available at any dance shop) if you prefer working in shoes. No trainers are permitted in skills classes.
- If you know that you have knee problems please bring knee pads with you.
It is advisable, though not compulsory, that female students acquire a black practice skirt (ankle or floor length) and black character shoes (from dance equipment shops). It is also strongly advised that you acquire a good set of nude underwear before your second year (to be used during costume fittings).
You are encouraged to bring your own Laptop and Mobile device to AUB to support Online Learning, Collaboration and Communication whilst at University.
We provide access to a range of free software and discounts on Apple and Dell hardware. We recommend that you wait until you have set up your AUB IT account to access this free software and discounted hardware if you are planning on investing in a new computer.
Even if your course does not specifically use Adobe Creative Cloud we would recommend that you try to make sure your computer is able to run this software.
We recommend that you format any external hard-drives/USB sticks to work on both Apple and Windows.
Please note: This course uses both Apple and Windows computers.
