BA (Hons) Acting and Physical Theatre
Overview
What is the BA (Hons) Acting and Physical Theatre?
East 15’s BA (Hons) Acting and Physical Theatre is a three-year, industry-focused degree for actors who want to specialise in a world of physical and visual performance beyond traditional theatre and television.
From 2026-27, this course will be based at our Colchester Campus, offering bespoke East 15 studio spaces and other specialist facilities within a creative university environment set in 200 acres of parkland.
Why this course
The BA (Hons) Acting and Physical Theatre gives you a wide skills base in aerial circus, devised storytelling, mask, mime, puppetry and clowning, all underpinned by professional core training in acting and theatre-making.
This course combines dynamic, exciting actor training with devised and ensemble work, offering the experience of a traditional British drama school coupled with modern European performance methodologies.
By the end of the course, you’ll be a capable and creative actor ready to challenge new shows and re-imagine traditional performances for public performance.
Who should apply
- Aspiring actors committed to building a professional acting career and seeking structured, high-level training
- Ambitious performers who are passionate about physical performance, creating new work and re-imagining traditional texts
- Those seeking a rigorous programme that equips them with the skills and readiness to enter the industry directly upon graduation
- Individuals eager to explore their acting potential and develop a distinct artistic identity
What you’ll learn
- Acting technique and performance skills: Develop strong skills in acting, movement, voice, singing, improvisation and character creation through intensive, practical training
- Technical skills: Train and regularly perform aerial circus, object theatre, puppetry, Commedia Dell’Arte and melodrama
- Artistic identity: Discover and refine your individual artistic voice, developing confidence, self-awareness and a performance style that is uniquely yours
- Professional practice: Prepare for both auditions and interviews across areas of the performing arts industry in workshops and lectures with actors, directors, casting directors and agents
Your learning experience
- Intensive training: Develop core performance skills through focused, practical actor training
- Specialist teaching and facilities: Train with acting, voice and movement specialists in our dedicated studios, rehearsal rooms, on-campus theatre and screen-acting facilities
- Performances and projects: Take part in full theatre productions with industry professionals, both as an ensemble and small groups
- Industry-focused final year: Experience professional rehearsal processes and participate in an Industry Showcase for agents, casting directors, theatre companies and film, TV and theatre directors
Careers and outcomes
A BA (Hons) Acting and Physical Theatre prepares you for careers such as:
- Actor and performer on stage, film and TV
- Puppeteer
- Aerial specialist
- Street and clown performer
Where have graduates gone on to work?
Graduates from this course have gone on to work with prominent theatres and theatre companies including:
- National Theatre
- The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC)
- Shakespeare’s Globe
- The Barbican
- National Theatre of Scotland
- Theatre Royal - Stratford
- West Yorkshire Playhouse
- Told By an Idiot
- Improbable
- Les Enfants Terribles
- Tangled Feet
- Tall Stories
- Graeae
- La Fura Dels Baus
- Contacts
Our graduates have set up their own theatre companies, creating and touring new work, including:
- Outbound Project
- Ditto
- Moth Physical Theatre
- Project Lookout
We’ve also had graduates perform in the following high-profile productions:
- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
- Life of Pi
- War Horse
- A Comedy About a Bank Robbery
What is Colchester Campus like?
- Green campus setting: Located within 200 acres of parkland, offering an inspiring environment for creative practice, just two miles from Colchester city centre
- Performance and study facilities: Home to the 200-seat Lakeside Theatre, the Albert Sloman Library, rehearsal spaces and creative study areas
- Student life: Cafés, restaurants, street food outlets, SU bar, social spaces, sports centre, gym and a weekly food market
- Accommodation: A range of University of Essex student accommodation options within walking distance of campus facilities
- Future-focused facilities: As of October 2026, East 15 has developed bespoke studio spaces and specialist performance facilities at Colchester to support conservatoire-style training
- Undertake intensive acting training for both stage and screen
- Create new individual and ensemble performances
- We have award-winning graduates working in all areas of the performing arts industry
"I believe the training in physical theatre gives a deeper awareness and understanding for any actor. I am very privileged to be in this course at East 15 with the most supportive staff and classmates, which made studying overseas feel like home."
Deborah Hoon, BA Physical Theatre
Entry requirements
UK entry requirements
- A-levels: EE, or 32 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of 2 full A-levels.
- BTEC: PP, or 32 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of the equivalent of 2 full A-levels.
- Combined qualifications on the UCAS tariff: 32 UCAS tariff points from a minimum of 2 full A levels or equivalent. Tariff point offers may be made if you are taking a qualification, or mixture of qualifications, from the list on our undergraduate application information page.
- T-levels: Pass with E in core
- IB: two Higher Level certificates with 33
- IB Career-related Programme: We consider combinations of IB Diploma Programme courses with BTECs or other qualifications.
Applicants will need to submit a video audition and, if successful, complete a recall audition/workshop. Applicants should also have, or expect to have:
International & EU entry requirements
We accept a wide range of qualifications from applicants studying in the EU and other countries. Get in touch with any questions you may have about the qualifications we accept. Remember to tell us about the qualifications you have already completed or are currently taking.
Sorry, the entry requirements for the country that you have selected are not available here. Please contact our Undergraduate Admissions team at ugquery@essex.ac.uk to request the entry requirements for this country.
English language requirements
If you do not require a student visa to study in the UK then we will assess your English language proficiency/ability at your interview or audition.
English language requirements for applicants whose first language is not English
IELTS 6.0 overall with a minimum of 5.5 in each component, or specified score in another equivalent test that we accept.
Details of English language requirements, including component scores, and the tests we accept for applicants who require a Student visa (excluding Nationals of Majority English Speaking Countries) can be found here
If we accept the English component of an international qualification it will be included in the academic levels listed above for the relevant countries.
Pre-sessional English courses
If you do not meet our IELTS requirements then you may be able to complete a pre-sessional English pathway that enables you to start your course without retaking IELTS.
Structure
Course structure
We offer dynamic and unique courses for actors, directors, producers, technical theatre specialists and students of theatre practice. Training at East 15 draws upon 50 years of tradition combined with a keen sense of the world of stage and screen today.
Our carefully selected modules will give you the chance to explore and develop your specialist training.
We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision for you. We'll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities as described on our website and in line with your contract with us. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to significant disruption, we'll let our applicants and students know as soon as possible.
Teaching
Year 1
Your first year focuses on developing the basic skills that you will use throughout your career. You will:
- Develop fundamental voice, movement and singing techniques
- Focus on acting, improvisation, Poor Theatre, devising, mask, mime, bouffon, acrobatics and contextual studies
- Work towards classroom-based performance in contemporary scenework, Poor Theatre, narrative & story theatre, mime and expressive mask
- Present your own devised work to peers through East 15's unique ‘Theatre Café'
Many modules culminate in performances among your peers and your practical classes are supported by contextual and historical study.
Year 2
During your second year, you will extend and build on the skills developed through first year and continue core work in acting, voice, movement and singing. You will also engage with more technically demanding subjects, such as:
- Aerial circus
- Object theatre & puppetry
- Commedia Del Arte
- Melodrama
- Acting technique
Technical skills work results in two major classroom-based performance projects per term.
Year 3
Your final year concentrates on professional performance and career preparation. Alongside core classes, this includes:
- Employment talks and workshops with industry professionals from major companies
- Training in acting for screen, including filming material which can be used in a professional Showreel
- Working with industry professionals on full productions in our state of the art theatre, including an ensemble devised performance, a scripted play and a self-created small group devised performance. Since 2016, we have collaborated with the artist-led international theatre company, ‘David Glass Ensemble' to create shows that can be professionalised and taken beyond East 15
Students also undertake an Industry Showcase for an invited audience of influential agents, casting directors, film, motion capture, TV and theatre directors. East 15 continually liaises with industry professionals to ensure the format for the event accords with the changing landscape of the industry.
Fees and funding
Home/UK fee
£10,050 per year
Additional costs for materials and field trips of up to approximately £650 per academic year. Equipment lists are reviewed annually.International fee
£23,750 per year
Additional costs for materials and field trips of up to approximately £650 per academic year. Equipment lists are reviewed annually.Fees will increase for each academic year of study.
Scholarships and financial support
There may be scholarships, bursaries or discounts available to help with the cost of this course.
Fees and funding guide
What's next
Applying
You can apply to our full-time undergraduate courses through either the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) or the University of Essex Direct Application Form.
If you choose to apply through UCAS, you can find step-by-step guidance on how to fill your UCAS undergraduate application. UK students (as well as some EU and international students) who are still in school or college may apply through their institution. Your school will help you complete and submit your UCAS application. The option to apply through UCAS is also available to independent UK and international applicants.
The UCAS code for the University of Essex is ESSEX E70.
In addition your UCAS or University of Essex application, you must also submit an East 15 Application Form.
For full details on how to apply, please visit the Applying for an Undergraduate Course page on the East 15 website.
Auditioning
Applicants to this course must submit a Round 1 video audition as part of your East 15 Application Form. If successful at this stage, you'll be invited to a Round 2 audition, which may take place on our campus, online, or at a regional or international audition.
We no longer charge an audition fee for Round 1 auditions. There is a £10 administration fee for Round 2 auditions. Administration fee waivers are available for eligible applicants. You can check your eligibility for a waiver on the Applying for an Undergraduate Course page.
Our staff regularly travel to conduct auditions worldwide. So if you're not based in the UK, it's likely that we may hold auditions near you. These will be one-on-one auditions. You can find the locations and dates of these auditions on our International Auditions page.
Offers for this course are made only after successful auditions.
For details of what to prepare for our auditions, please visit our Preparing for Auditions page.
Visit Colchester Campus
Set within 200 acres of award-winning parkland - Wivenhoe Park and located two miles from the historic city centre of Colchester – England's oldest recorded development. Our Colchester Campus is also easily reached from London and Stansted Airport in under one hour.
Open Days
Our events are a great way to find out more about studying at Essex. We run a number of Open Days throughout the year which enable you to discover what our campus has to offer. You have the chance to:
- tour our campus and accommodation
- find out answers to your questions about our courses, student finance, graduate employability, student support and more
- meet our students and staff
Check out our Visit Us pages to find out more information about booking onto one of our events. And if the dates aren’t suitable for you, feel free to book a campus tour here.
Virtual tours
If you live too far away to come to Essex (or have a busy lifestyle), no problem. Our 360-degree virtual tour allows you to explore our University from the comfort of your home. Check out our Colchester virtual tour to see accommodation options, facilities and social spaces.
At Essex we pride ourselves on being a welcoming and inclusive student community. We offer a wide range of support to individuals and groups of student members who may have specific requirements, interests or responsibilities.
The University makes every effort to ensure that this information on its programme specification is accurate and up-to-date. Exceptionally it can be necessary to make changes, for example to courses, facilities or fees. Examples of such reasons might include, but are not limited to: strikes, other industrial action, staff illness, severe weather, fire, civil commotion, riot, invasion, terrorist attack or threat of terrorist attack (whether declared or not), natural disaster, restrictions imposed by government or public authorities, epidemic or pandemic disease, failure of public utilities or transport systems or the withdrawal/reduction of funding. Changes to courses may for example consist of variations to the content and method of delivery of programmes, courses and other services, to discontinue programmes, courses and other services and to merge or combine programmes or courses. The University will endeavour to keep such changes to a minimum, and will also keep students informed appropriately by updating our programme specifications. The University would inform and engage with you if your course was to be discontinued, and would provide you with options, where appropriate, in line with our Compensation and Refund Policy.
The full Procedures, Rules and Regulations of the University governing how it operates are set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances and in the University Regulations, Policy and Procedures.