Britain: a home of acting talent both past and present:
Historically, Britain has been a home to a great deal of renowned talent when it comes to all that is literary and theatrical. To go for the lowest hanging fruit for example, William Shakespeare, perhaps the most recognisable name when it comes to drama and theatre, came from the British Isles; his work is still studied in English classrooms all over the world with no signs of falling into obscurity.
Naturally, with such a heritage, the UK continues to be a cradle for a great deal of modern acting talent. Even in the American enclave of cinema, we are conditioned to hear a British accent or two in every Hollywood blockbuster we watch.
It will surely come as no surprise that the UK is home to numerous prestigious acting schools. Whether they choose to call themselves universities, colleges or academies, they all serve the purpose of forging passion and talent into professionalism and prowess.
What makes a good acting school?:
Before we start dropping names, let’s first establish what our criterion will be for a “good acting school”. We’ll be measuring this in a few different ways:
- Alumni and Talents: A great measure of success when it comes to schools is the later success of its students in their careers. It’s especially easy to track in the case of acting, because success in the industry correlates directly with fame and publicity.
- Comprehensiveness: Acting schools can be judged by how comprehensive their curriculum is. One of the most dreaded outcomes for any actor, regardless of their success, is being typecast and doomed to forever play the niche of their breakout role, especially one which wasn’t suited for them. In order to avoid such a fate, one must be prepared with an arsenal of different skill sets or, more specifically, what performers call “range”. A good acting school must therefore prepare its actors to be diverse and multifaceted.
- Faculty Qualification: A school is nothing without its teachers. An acting school could have the most comprehensive curriculum ever written, the most cutting edge facilities and equipment, but without a good body of staff it will never come close to being considered “the best”. We’ll of course be taking this into account when looking at the UK’s best acting schools.
- Opportunity: Acting schools are supposed to springboard their students into a successful acting career. This is impossible without a clear path and plenty of opportunities to get involved at the professional level. Whether it be a chance to be seen at the school’s own productions, or work experience with another company or group. The real experience that a school provides at the higher levels of education is important regardless of the subject being taught, but especially in acting. In this sense, the acting school must not only put the student directly into the spotlight, but also educate them on how to professionally engage with the acting world and find their own opportunities once they’ve flown the nest.
The top 5 acting schools in the UK
Now that we have established detailed criteria for what makes a good acting school, let’s waste no more time and get right into a list of some of the best acting schools in the UK. Keep in mind that these are in no particular order, nor is this list the definitive top 5, since there are many other potential factors that could be considered than the ones we used here.
Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (or RADA):
This is the first London based acting school on our list, but not the last. It’s unsurprising that the capital city of the UK holds the most of its acting schools, but when it comes to London, those schools are also the best.
The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art boasts a very impressive list of famous alumni including names which are recognisable all over the world, and household names in the UK, such as David Attenborough, or perhaps Tom Hiddleston depending on whether you’re interested in the marvels of nature, or the marvels of Marvel.
The point of bringing up these two specific talents is that the actors produced by this academy have managed to reach the most famous standards of both the big screen and television documentaries.
Their curriculum focuses on creating versatile actors with a large range. Having a look at their list of alumni is proof enough of this. If the examples we just provided weren’t enough, you need only make a brief search online to find more of the talent that has passed through RADA’s gates.
RADA also provides training for the associated careers in the acting industry, equipping its students to direct, manage and design sets. Not only that, but RADA is equipped to train students for careers on the radio.
Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
Founded in 1904, the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama prides itself on its unique and “holistic” approach to teaching. It provides specialised training, mostly focused on theatre performance, but that said, it still has an impressive track record for creating film prodigies, with an alphabetical list being available on their website, which includes Dame Judi Dench and Andrew Garfield.
This acting school is also situated in London, perhaps unsurprisingly, which also means that the students of this school will also have access to the collaborative opportunities that come with being in the area.
Alumni who finish their course can also benefit from a generous support program after graduation which includes a newsletter, weekly job opportunities and even exclusive social media groups for graduates, so they can stay in touch with their course mates. Alumni can also benefit from free access to the library even after they graduate and discounts on productions and postgraduate courses.
Bristol Old Vic Theatre School:
Taking our first departure from London, we arrive at the Old Vic Theatre School of Bristol. Standing beside the acting school titans of London is no mean feat. Old Vic has certainly earned its place, considering it is also the most venerable school on the list, having been built in 1766.
Age is always a good sign when it comes to educational institutions, since it means that many generations of skill and experience can be drawn from and refined into the ideal educational system.
In terms of sheer prestige, the Old Vic is certainly up there, only accepting about 30 applicants per year onto its main programme. Just based on this alone, it’s highly likely, almost guaranteed in fact, that graduates will have no problem finding themselves high profile work once they’ve finished their course.
As with the previously mentioned institutions, there is no shortage of famous alumni that received their education at the Old Vic. A number of them receiving prestigious honours, such as Naomie Harris and Olivia Colman, who receive OBEs for their acting work.
If the actors produced by your institution are gaining royal acclaim, then you are certainly doing something right! Despite the challenging entry requirements, however, the Old Vic prides itself on providing “Challenge with a safety net”.
The implication is that students will be pushed to find their limits and explore the maximum potential of their acting ability, while still being cared for and given all the support they need to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Guildhall School of Music and Drama:
The Guildhall School of Music and Drama provides all sorts of training at all levels of a prospective actor's journey. They have short courses and training for children and under 18s as well as the full range of courses from undergraduate, to postgraduate and even doctoral studies.
This wide range of material is supported by comparably exacting standards to the other entries on this list.
In fact, their website proudly demonstrates that they were ranked number one in arts, music and drama by the “Complete University Guide 2024” and consistently ranking very highly in the yearly “Guardian University Guide”.
Guildhall also sports its collaborative capacity as one of its greatest qualities, actively encouraging cooperation and collaboration with other institutions and companies. Students will therefore have no shortage of opportunity to refine and demonstrate their skills, all while networking and setting themselves up for a flourishing career.
London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (LAMDA)
The last school we’ll be having a look at is the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. This school is focused on the musical elements of dramatic performances and the harmony between the sound design of a production and its acting talent.
Studying at LAMDA provides students with an intimate understanding of everything going on in a production.
This could be the perfect place to study if you want a career in the film or theatre industry, but would rather have a music focused career, while still understanding the ins and outs of being on stage or on set.
That isn’t to say that the institution doesn’t regularly produce world-class actors, take Benedict Cumberbatch as an example, who graduated from LAMDA in the year 2000.
This academy just goes to show the importance of the relationship between actor and musician, and that there is room for different skill sets to flourish alongside each other and provide a cooperative boon to one another.
Afterword
Thank you for taking the time to read this article. If you are interested in learning more about the acting industry, or another subject entirely, please consider checking out some of the other articles right here on the Superprof blog. There is plenty to sift through, and we’re sure you’ll find something that piques your interest.
Until then, goodbye from the Superprof blog! We hope to see you again soon.
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