Follow in the footsteps of the greats
2020 has given many people the opportunity to pause and rethink the path they’re on, and whether it might be time for a change. If you are one of these people and are thinking about taking your love of theatre further, then perhaps a year honing and deepening your art in London could be the next step you need.
Imagine studying theatre in the city where some of the famous names in theatre have trodden before you? Home of the Globe Theatre, where many of Shakespeare’s players performed his plays for the first time. The city of The National Theatre launched over 50 years ago under Laurence Olivier, to be followed across the stage of time by such household name as Judi Dench, Albert Finney, Anthony Hopkins and Lynn Redgrave.
If you are thinking about where your career might move to next and are looking for ways to harness your talent in a meaningful way, the MFA programme of the Academy of Live & Recorded Arts (ALRA) could be just the place for you. It offers you the opportunity to concentrate on sculpting and fine-tuning your art with some of the best teachers in the field. In a location that is new for you yet full of history, excitement and exploration whilst offering you the skills you need to take the next step on the ladder as an actor or as a teacher of acting.
UNIQUE METHOD
ALRA is a drama school based in London and Wigan offering one of a number of unique and effective theatre teaching methods. This method shifts the actor training emphasis to making the voice the foundation of the acting; the voice the base from which the acting happens. It’s not a set of skills to learn and perform, but rather deep work on oneself.
The Linklater Teaching Practice (Voice and Theatre Arts) is named in honour of Kristin Linklater and the method she developed. She taught some of the greatest actors and teachers of our time, such as Bill Murray, Patrick Stewart and Sigourney Weaver. She spent her professional life connecting language to voice in order to express the human condition in a more effective way.
This two-year master’s degree is rooted in Linklater’s approach to voice as fundamental to a whole system for actor training. The Linklater voice methodology underpins all voice training at ALRA, one of the most innovative centres for actor training in the world.
SOCIALLY ENGAGING
The course also includes Applied Theatre Arts, as developed by Augusto Boal through his ‘Theatre of the Oppressed’. A technique aimed at using theatre as a means of promoting social and political change. There is movement work developed by Trish Arnold, and also the acting techniques of Michael Chekhov. Together these methods will equip graduates with the skills to develop the capacity of multiple communities to express complex social and political needs and find their voices both metaphorically and physically.
As global culture shifts, there is a growing need for professionals who can lead artistic projects, to facilitate groups from a multitude of experiences and beliefs to communicate successfully. The underpinning ethic of this pioneering training is the desire to shed light on the lives we lead and shift perception towards potential transformation.
WHERE ALUMNI GO ON TO
ALRA has a wealth of famous alumni to its name. Many have gone on to appear in a variety of BBC series. It includes well-known stars including Vincent Regan, who is best known for historical/mythological roles in epic productions such as Troy and Clash of the Titans. Another ALRA alumni is Amrita Acharia who you may remember from the hit series Game of Thrones. There is also Emmanuel Imani, who has featured in a film alongside some of Hollywood’s biggest actors, including Kevin Costner, Tommy Lee Jones and Keira Knightley.
IS IT FOR YOU?
This training programme takes into consideration the changing world of the performing arts industry and traditional actor training. Many trained actors from conventional conservatory programmes wish to continue their training and develop their skills further. This MFA bridges the skill gap and will enable graduates to enter new creative roles with confidence and authority.
The Linklater Teaching Practice is a reimagined, pioneering training for Actor-Teachers.
ALRA believes that the highest purpose of theatre is to shed light on the lives we lead and to shift perception towards potential transformation. What better environment to hone your talents?
If you are interested in finding out more, please visit http://www.alra.co.uk/courses
