BA (Hons) Acting Course

Q & A with Dave Bond, Head of Acting

Dave Bond

In what way is the acting course different from the many drama and theatre courses offered by other universities and colleges?

The essential difference is that our students have already made the decision that they want to train as professional actors. That's not to say that they won't discover and develop other skills whilst they are with us - some students have gone on to be very successful writers, directors and film makers. The great majority, however, go on to be actors - and this requires an intensive training in vocal and physical skills, which is not a common feature of broader-based drama courses. On this course, it is not unusual for a student to be in classes and rehearsals for 30 or 40 hours each week. The course calls for a lot of stamina, but our students get used to (and enjoy!) the challenge this offers.

How many people are taken onto the course each year?

We have one of the smallest intakes of any drama school in the UK, with just 20 places each year. This is a deliberate policy because we very much value the close working relationship this affords us between our tutors and their students. The usual class size is just 10 students (typically with an even number of men and women) and this allows us to get to know each student as an individual and get the best out of them.

Does the College favour students that live in Wales?

In any year, approximately half of our students come from Wales - with the other half made up of a wide spectrum of UK students. There will also almost certainly be one or two students from outside the UK. We welcome diversity and, whilst we are pleased to attract highly talented students from Wales, we employ no quota system and recruit solely on the basis of talent.

Is Cardiff the right place to train to be an actor?

It's an excellent place to train and the advantages are clear. It is affordable and student-friendly, and a great place to spend three years. Wales has become a lively hub for independent film and television production companies - working in both English and Welsh - and is a favourite location for big budget feature films. BBC Wales and S4C continue to show their confidence in the College by employing ever increasing numbers of our graduates. There is every reason to believe that, freed of the many pressures of London living, our graduates begin their career in very good shape and ready to take on the very real challenge of establishing a career in a tough profession - whether they decide to base themselves in London, Wales or elsewhere. It's a very happy College and the students often remark that, for them, the three years pass too quickly!

What do you look for at the audition?

Potential. Passion. Enjoyment. Instinct. Willingness to take risks.

Does the College use particular methods or systems of acting?

No. Our strength is that we have a very experienced and professional team of staff who will use whatever methods, ideas or systems of work they think are in the best interests of a particular student. What works for one tutor will not work for another, and the same is true of each individual student. It may well be possible to identify the ideas of key practitioners, such as Stanislavsky or Michael Chekov in the teaching, but there is no single methodology which is championed by the course. The best method is the one that works!

How much of the course involves performance?

This increases with each year of the course. At first, the work is centred on the self and making essential relationships with other actors in the work space. The key elements are practice and rehearsal - allowing an actor to develop through risk-taking and moving outside of their own comfort zone. Later comes the opportunity to perform in the College's own spaces, outside professional theatres and abroad. All in all, the College will mount over 15 fully-realised performances each year - anything from a cutting edge three hander recently seen at The Royal Court to a big-scale musical, such as West Side Story, Thoroughly Modern Millie and the premiere of The Who's Quadrophenia. Recent tours have taken us to London, Bristol, Dublin and Milan. The College has the great benefit of truly integrated training, with acting students working side by side with stage managers and designers, who are themselves in training (see the Q & A section from these disciplines and compare notes!)

What kind of reputation does the College have within the profession?

We have every reason to believe that the course is considered to be amongst the strongest in the UK. Leading casting directors and agents regularly attend final year productions as well as our Showcase events at The Royal Court in London and Cardiff, confident they will find the actors they are looking for. Our students are always well-represented in the UK's leading theatre companies such as The Royal Shakespeare Company, The National Theatre, The Donmar Warehouse and The Royal Court. We are also very proud of our students' contribution to the success of Wales' own theatre industry, with its strong reputation for community and specialist theatre. The cast lists of major UK television, theatre and radio productions also bear witness to our students' talent and training. Our graduates regularly feature in leading roles in flagship television productions including Dr Who, Torchwood, Gavin & Stacey, Eastenders, Coronation Street, The Bill and Cranford amongst others. Radio, it should be noted, is a particular strength of the College, as evidenced by a string of successes in the BBC Carleton Hobbs Competition.

Any final tips/advice/words of wisdom?

Whichever college you hope to train at, do your homework before you apply. Find out everything you can about the college from ex-students, current students and, critically, the profession itself. Ask the opinion of professional actors, directors, theatre and TV workers. Visit the college and imagine how things might be over three years. As for the audition, try and enjoy it. Sounds impossible, but it will make a great deal of difference. Good luck!