Applicant Performance Workshop Guidance

If you are applying to BA Acting, BA Musical Theatre or BA Theatre, you will be invited to an Applicant Performance Workshop run by our expert team. This day involves an informal interview where you will be asked to share a 3-minute performance of any text, song or movement piece of your choice, depending on the degree you are applying to.

You will receive your invitation by email once you have applied to the course, with workshops dates available on:

Wednesday 29 October 2025
Wednesday 26 November 2025
Wednesday 4 February 2026

While in-person attendance is preferred, if you cannot make a workshop and interview day you can instead submit a video discussing your application, along with a 3-minute performance of any text or song you choose.

Drama and Performance Workshop Guidance

To help you prepare for your upcoming workshops, we’ve put together a quick guide with everything you’ll need to know.

Dr Phoebe Rumsey [00:00:00] Hello, welcome to the ��. My name is Dr. Phoebe Rumsey, and I'm part of the teaching staff of the performing arts courses here at the university. We have a wonderful array of courses that will fill all your needs for performance, whether you wanna sing or dance or act or build things. So how do you come interview for us here? We offer a selection of interviews where you just bring what you're passionate about with you. We'll meet the teaching staff, we'll do a group warm-up with everyone, and then we'll give you a chance to show what it is you've brought. Maybe you're gonna sing a song, maybe you might do a dance, maybe you may show us a lighting portfolio you've been working on for a show you did in your colleges. And then we will work together to devise a piece of theatre that will be very brief, but a chance for you to get to know how we work, as well as for us to get to know you. We'll then have a little sit-down with you where you can show us individually what you're doing, and we can give you little feedback. It's a very warm environment, it's not an audition, it's a chance to just get to know each other. Now, if you can't make one of these interview days, you can actually build this up in a short film that you would submit as a portfolio yourself. So in that, you would just get, recording on your phone is just fine, and you would say why you wanna study theatre, or acting, or musical theatre here, what you're passionate about, maybe even talk about a show you just saw. Why did you like that show? And then, take a chance to show us something that you've done. Sit down and do a monologue, or you could play an instrument, or you can sing a song, or show something from a show that you've done, whether it's the costume design, or the lighting design. And then just wrap it up with a sort of a conclusion about why it is you wanna study at the ��, and send it along. Thanks, look forward to meeting you.

Preparing for the workshop and interview

What to expect on the day

Your day will begin with a short talk from our expert academic team, outlining the course you have applied to.
You will then be led into a 45-minute performance workshop that incorporates all three courses (no preparation necessary).
Following the workshop, you will perform individually and privately for the teaching team. Please come prepared to perform a song, short monologue, piece of movement or a combination of all. The speech can be from any play or musical.

What to prepare for your performance

If you are applying to BA Musical Theatre, please ensure your individual performance reflects at least two of the three elements of the genre (singing, dancing, acting).
For applicants to BA Acting and BA Theatre, we encourage you to think beyond traditional dramatic literature and choose a different kind of text to perform (passages from interviews, pop culture, road signs; there are many things that can be considered a text).
Wear loose, comfortable clothing.
Please let us know in advance about any accessibility issues that may affect your participation so that we can make adjustments.

Preparing your video submission

If you are unable to attend an in-person workshop, you can instead submit a video submission.

How to present your video

Your video submission should be no longer than 10-minutes in length. Please record yourself answering the questions below, along with a 3-minute performance of any text, song or movement piece of your choice.

Why do you want to study the course you have applied to? Tell us what aspects of the course appeal to you and why.
Why do you want to study at the ��?
Analyse a recent theatre production you have seen. What themes did the show explore?

Please remember to take your time and relax.

What to prepare for your performance:

If you are applying to BA Musical Theatre, please ensure your individual performance reflects at least two of the three elements of the genre (singing, dancing, acting).
For applicants to BA Acting and BA Theatre, we encourage you to think beyond traditional dramatic literature and choose a different kind of text to perform (passages from interviews, pop culture, road signs; there are many things that can be considered a text).

How to upload your video

You can share your video with us in any of the following formats:

A link to your video on YouTube
A link to link to your video on Vimeo 
A link to an Instagram or TikTok Reel

The production value of the video doesn't need to be a professional standard, but please ensure the video resolution is high enough to be viewed on a PC and the sound quality is of a suitable standard.

Top Tips

Choose something that excites you: pick a piece you genuinely enjoy performing so your energy and enthusiasm shine through.
Show your range: for Musical Theatre include at least two elements of singing, acting or dance. For Acting or Theatre think creatively about what a text can be; it does not have to come from a play.
Keep it simple: you do not need staging or costumes. Focus on clarity, expression and connection.
Be yourself: bring your individuality, interests and personality into your performance.
Relax and enjoy it: whether in person or on video take your time, breathe and remember we want to see you at your best.