OSD is a top Acting School that punches above its weight. We are, and always have been, a small, intimate school that places its focus on providing an environment free of distractions. However, when the time comes, we aren’t short of connections and opportunities within the wider industry.
It is this balance of freedom and connections that make us one of the top acting schools in the UK.
Students on the One and Three year courses leave The Farm in their final term and relocate to London for their London Season. This is a fantastic part of the curriculum and a long-standing tradition.
We approach the term as if our students are professional actors, they commit to work with a number of industry professionals and approach the work as working actors rather than students.
We thought you might like to gain some insight into what the final term looks like; here are 5 exciting things that make up The London Season.
1. New Writing
First up this year is a week in the rehearsal room with Emily Aboud and Louis Rembges (pictured above), the Director and Writer of our first New Writing commission of the year. You can read more about Emily and Louis here, as well as the importance of the New Writing Programme to the OSD curriculum.
We don’t want to spoil too much about the content of the show just yet, but it’s safe to say it will rock [DJ]. Hopefully, you’ll feel compelled to buy a ticket when it goes on sale and have no regrets about it. The show will be performed at the New Diorama Theatre from the 26th of June, following an intense 4 weeks of rehearsals.
All that’s left to say is, let [us] entertain you; we’ll see you there.
2. Research and Development
Following a week of rehearsing with Emily and Louis, the third years will move into a number of research and development (R&D) projects.
R&D projects are uniquely different from the rehearsal process of a more finalised production. It’s a chance for everyone in the rehearsal room to play and explore an idea. Actors will be encouraged to offer their ideas and engage with the process as a multi-faceted creative.
These projects are valuable opportunities to build relationships with people in the industry and to engage in the early stages of works that may have a long-term home on a high-profile stage.
We think it’s incredibly important for actors to have a wide range of R&D experience before they enter the industry. Each R&D project will be different from the next, ranging from basic table reads through to intensive physical theatre devising.
Our students will be involved in three main R&D projects during their time in London.
- The first is a week with director Nadia Papachronopoulou. Nadia has worked as a director in venues such as the Royal Lyceum, Regents Park Open Air Theatre, The Old Vic, and The Kiln.
- The second is a project with our Associate Artist Nazli Tabatabai-Khatambakhsh, to read more about Nazli check out our blog here.
- The third and final R&D project is with writer Henry Waddon and director Gabe Winsor. Henry’s credits include schemes such as BBC Writersroom Welsh Voices, The Old Vic TheatreMakers, and The National Theatre Wales Young Playwright’s Programme. Gabe has directed work for The VAULT Festival, Edinburgh Fringe, and National Student Drama Festival.
As with everything we do at OSD, we are passionate about championing early career creatives and ensuring that our students are exposed to exciting work in the early stages of development.
R&D is a common part of the modern working actor’s life, and by exposing students to as many different ways of working as possible, they will enter the industry as prepared, focused, and driven actors who can adapt to any working style.
3. Mock Castings
As a top acting school with a fantastic reputation amongst those working in the industry, our third years in London will have the brilliant opportunity to do a week of mock castings and auditions for a number of well-respected directors, agents, and casting directors.
Not only is this a fantastic opportunity for our actors to get used to the casting process and to get a real feel for how their working life will feel, they also have the chance to meet and develop relationships with industry professionals who will form a major part of their careers.
4. On Stage at The National Theatre
A highlight of the London Season is the NT Voice Class; a chance to put their voice training into action on one of the most iconic London stages.
This is a wonderful opportunity to put their voice classes into practice on a large stage, but it is also an incredibly special moment. For many actors, the National Theatre represents a dream. To be on the Olivier Stage is something many theatre lovers only ever get to dream about; for our actors, it becomes a reality before they’ve even left training.
Many of our students have gone on to have incredibly successful careers that have involved work at the National, so we hope this year’s grads will grace the Olivier stage again in the very near future.
Graduates from our top acting school who have featured at the National include the following:
- Cassie Bradley, also one of our Trustees, who was cast by Sam Mendes in his production of King Lear alongside Simon Russell Beale.
- Laurence Ubong Williams who recently featured alongside Mark Gatiss and Johnny Flynn in The Motive and The Cue.
- Maimuna Memon who gained an Olivier Award Nomination for her performance in Standing at the Sky’s Edge.
- Lizzie Annis who recently starred in Alice Birch’s adaptation of The House of Bernarda Alba, directed by Olivier Award-winning Director, Rebecca Frecknall.
5. OSD – A Top Acting School With Big Connections
We are so proud of the mature, intelligent, and adaptable performers that our acting school produces, and we know that the exposure they gain during their London Season makes all the difference to them. From a small acting school to the National Theatre stage, anything is possible when you train at OSD.
Applications for September 2024 entry are still open. Application information can be found here. Apply today for your chance to experience life both on The Farm and in the big city.
