A key objective of the course is to nurture students in the development of their own thoughts and ideas, to encourage individuality of expression and foster creative confidence.
There will be chance to write, direct and perform as well as opportunities to develop original theatre work. During the course students will discover new areas of ability that will provide the foundations for future creative endeavour.
Shakespeare Awards offer the opportunity to work one-to-one with a RADA tutor to present a speech, sonnet or scene from Shakespeare and get personal feedback to develop your skills and inspire your acting.
You need to have gained your Shakespeare Gold Award to apply for Platinum. Complete your Shakespeare Awards journey by 'pitching' a Shakespeare production, performing two contrasting speeches of your own choosing, and, with 15 minutes preparation time, reading a given speech.
In addition, you will be sent a link to an archive video recording of a Shakespeare play and asked to write your responses in a review of between 500 and 700 words.
To gain the Platinum Award, an achievement of 95 marks out of 160 marks is required.
During the assessment:
- 15 minutes before your assessment, you will be given a speech to read, which you will later work on with the assessor, as the sight reading element of your Award.
- You will deliver a 10 minute presentation outlining how you would stage a Shakespeare play of your own choosing.
- You should consider where the play is to be performed, and be prepared to give your design ideas for setting and costume. It may be useful to present any research material that you have collected.
- You and your RADA tutor will have a 10-minute discussion on your presentation.
- You will then present two widely differing Shakespeare speeches of your own choosing: these can be from plays or poems.
- Each speech should be around 15 to 20 lines.
- After each piece, you will work with the assessor on developing your delivery, before you perform the piece again.
- You present your speech for the sight reading element (you are not expected to have learned the speech).
- You will work with the assessor on developing your delivery, before you perform the piece again.
After the assessment:
- You will receive your results and any feedback by post within one month.
Normally on the first Saturday of each month. Please email for details regarding availability.
Assessment time: 60 minutes
Designed for candidates 15+, however the assessment is suitable for adults of all ages
You may choose any of the speeches, regardless of gender.
You must act from memory to gain your Award (without reading a script)
Shakespeare Awards offer the opportunity to work one-to-one with a RADA tutor to present a speech, sonnet or scene from Shakespeare and get personal feedback to develop your skills and inspire your acting.
You need to have gained your Shakespeare Silver Award to apply for Gold. Challenge yourself with the penultimate Shakespeare Award level by presenting two speeches or – in pairs – a scene you have chosen from the list we provide, and a sonnet, read ‘on sight’ with 15 minutes' preparation time.
The assessment includes discussion time between you and your RADA tutor before you perform each speech. This will focus on the plays your chosen speeches are from; the nature of the characters involved; and in more general terms, Shakespeare and his works.
Feedback will be given before you have the opportunity to present each speech again.
You should aim to have some awareness of all of Shakespeare’s sonnets. For notes on understanding, we particularly recommend the Penguin Shakespeare’s Sonnets edited by John Kerrigan; and, for contemporary insights, Reading Shakespeare’s Sonnets by Don Paterson. However, the sonnets sequence is readily available in most Complete Works and in many separate editions.
To gain the Gold Award, an achievement of 85 marks out of 140 marks is required.
During the assessment:
15 minutes before your assessment you will be given a sonnet to read and work on for the sight reading element of your Award.
The assessment begins with a discussion between you and your RADA tutor.
- You perform a speech from section one. Pairs will present a scene.
- You will then be given some suggestions of things to try out to explore the text.
- You deliver your speech or scene again.
- You will then deliver a second speech. Pairs will present a scene.
- You will then be given some suggestions of things to try out to explore the text.
- You deliver your speech or scene again.
- You present your sonnet for the sight reading element (you are not expected to be ''off book'' for this part).
- You will be given some suggestions of things to try out to explore the text before delivering your sonnet again.
After the assessment
- You will receive your results and any feedback by post within one month.
Normally on the first Saturday of each month. Please email awards@rada.ac.uk for details regarding availability.
Assessment time: 45 minutes or 90 minutes for a pair
Designed for candidates 15+, however the assessment is suitable for adults of all ages
You may choose any of the speeches, regardless of gender
You must act from memory to gain your Award (without reading a script)
The next level to gain after completing the Gold Award is the Platinum Award
Shakespeare Awards offer the opportunity to work one-to-one with a RADA tutor to present a speech, sonnet or scene from Shakespeare and get personal feedback to develop your skills and inspire your acting.
You need to have gained your Shakespeare Bronze Award to apply for Silver. Continue your Shakespeare Awards journey by performing a speech or – in pairs – a scene you have chosen from the list we provide, and a sonnet that you have chosen yourself. The Silver Award includes the opportunity to discuss your sonnet with your RADA tutor, touching on the delivery and nature of the piece you have chosen.
You should aim to have some awareness of all of Shakespeare’s sonnets. For notes on understanding, we particularly recommend the Penguin Shakespeare’s Sonnets edited by John Kerrigan; and, for contemporary insights, Reading Shakespeare’s Sonnets by Don Paterson. However, the sonnets sequence is readily available in most Complete Works and in many separate editions.
To gain the Silver Award, an achievement of 40 marks out of 70 marks is required.
During the assessment:
- You perform a speech. Pairs will present a scene.
- You will then be given some suggestions of things to try out to explore the text (you will need to have read or watched the play).
- You deliver your speech or scene again.
- You present a sonnet that you have chosen yourself.
- You will then have a discussion with your RADA tutor, touching on the delivery and nature of the sonnet chosen.
- You will also be given some suggestions of things to try out to explore the text.
- You deliver your sonnet again.
After the assessment:
- You will receive your results and any feedback by post within one month.
Normally on the first Saturday of each month. Please email for details regarding availability.
Assessment time: 20 minutes or 40 minutes for a pair
Designed for candidates 12+, however the assessment is suitable for adults of all ages
You may choose any of the speeches, regardless of gender
You must act from memory to gain your Award (without reading a script)
The next level to gain after completing the Silver Award is the Gold Award
Shakespeare Awards offer the opportunity to work one-to-one with a RADA tutor to present a speech, sonnet or scene from Shakespeare and get personal feedback to develop your skills and inspire your acting.
Young actors in training with Shakespeare and his company would sometimes be entrusted with the all-important role of Messenger. During a fun and creative session, delivered online, you will perform two speeches you have chosen from the list we provide.
To gain the Messenger Award, an achievement of 25 marks out of 50 marks is required.
During the assessment:
- You will connect with a RADA tutor in a one-to-one online session.
- You will first perform a speech from section one.
- You will then perform one of the speeches from section two.
- After delivering the speeches, you will be given some live suggestions of things to try out to explore the text.
- You then deliver your speech from section two again.
After the assessment:
- You will receive your results and any feedback by post within one month.
Normally on the first Saturday of each month. Please email awards@rada.ac.uk for details regarding availability.
Assessment time: 15 minutes
Designed for single candidates 12+, ideal for those between 12 - 14
You may choose any of the speeches, regardless of gender
You must act from memory to gain your Award (without reading a script)
The next level to gain after completing the Messenger is the Bronze Award
Trinity Specialist College engages the services of a qualified Music Therapist from Music Therapy Works. The therapist works within the multi-agency team to assess emotional well-being, physical health, social functioning, communication abilities and cognitive skills through musical responses. The therapeutic process enables growth and development.
Individually tailored sessions using musical instruments of all descriptions allow students to develop the core learning skills associated with active listening and training in rhythm and harmony. Music used as a therapeutic tool helps students to practise concentrated self-control accompanied with the joy of participation, thus opening a wide spectrum of avenues for learning.
This new 2-day intensive weekend practical short course in Musical Theatre at Goldsmiths, University of London
This Musical Theatre short course is suitable for those with no prior experience as well as some formal training.
This musical theatre training course (singing-focused) will lead students in working on a chosen musical theatre piece, aiming to improve vocal technique, presentation, acting through song, and dance.
Alongside this, students will learn dance/stage movement and bringing their performance to life on stage, combining both vocal performance and acting through song to deliver an engaging musical theatre piece. Students will finish the course with an in-class presentation of their pieces.
Dramatherapy is a creative psychological therapy which uses drama to stimulate creativity, imagination, insight and growth in students. These sessions focus on the individual strengths of the student, and do not rely on their verbal or cognitive ability.
Through multi-sensory activities facilitated by our dramatherapist, dramatherapy uses dramatic techniques such as storytelling, improvisation, role-play, mime, play texts, puppetry and masks to allow students to explore themselves and the world around them. It gives them space to build self-confidence, increase resilience and improve self-esteem through voice, body and creativity, which can lead to greater autonomy for self-advocacy. In addition, students learn to develop their social and interaction skills, which enables them to build trusting, healthy relationships with others.
Dramatherapy sessions can be run on an individual or group basis, and are student led. A typical session will bring creative and therapeutic approaches together to explore and develop an expression of the student’s thoughts and feelings. Our dramatherapist is a full member of BADth and is registered with the HCPC.
