Introduction to Acting Practice: Level 1
This six-week evening course for beginners, will explore what "good acting" might be and how actors can achieve it. During the six sessions, you will work with the course tutor to develop truthfulness and connection to text.
Key information:
- Course dates:
- Course 1: Tuesday evenings, 21 Apr – 26 May 2026 | Course 2: Wednesday evenings, 22 Apr – 27 May 2026
- Course times:
- 7pm–9pm
- Age:
- 18+
- Art form:
- Drama
- Fees:
- £295
- Deadline:
- Bookings will close at 5pm on Friday 17 April 2026 or when the course reaches full capacity
- Level of study:
- Short Courses & Summer Schools (ages 18+)
- Mode of study:
- In-person
- Venue:
- Guildhall School of Music & Drama
- When:
- Evening Courses | Summer Courses (April–June)
Course info
Public booking opens at 11am, Monday 16 February. Join our mailing list before Friday 13 February to receive priority booking.
Ages 18+
Course Dates & Times
Course 1
Tuesday evenings on 21, 28 April, 5, 12, 19, 26 May 2026
7pm–9pm*
*The final session on 26 May will last 2.5 hours.
Course 2
Wednesday evenings on 22, 29 April, 6, 13, 20, 27 May 2026
7pm–9pm*
*The final session on 27 May will last 2.5 hours.
About Introduction to Acting Practice: Level 1
This six-week evening course for beginners, will explore what "good acting" might be and how actors can achieve it. During the six sessions, you will work with the course tutor to develop truthfulness and connection to text.
Who is the course for?
- Anyone aged 18 and over thinking about going into acting or who has just started out
- No experience necessary; all you need is your enthusiasm!
What can I expect?
You can expect to:
- Play games and be increasingly in the moment
- Explore the concept of acting through various exercises
- Use your imagination in scenes and simple improvisations
- Learn techniques to relax and ensure clear delivery and projection
- Investigate scenes for clues about the context and circumstances
- Work on short scenes from contemporary plays
- Use your own life experience to explore characters
There will be some small tasks to complete throughout the course, such as learning lines.
Attendance of all six sessions is strongly recommended to allow progression of learning and for the benefit of the group as a whole.
Do I need anything for the course?
We will use Blank by Alice Birch as a set text. You will need to source your own physical copy (preferable) or an electronic format of the play to participate in the course.
" This course has been an absolute joy to take and experience."
– Participant, Introduction to Acting Practice Level 1, Spring 2025
Course Fee
£295
Public booking opens at 11am, Monday 16 February. Join our mailing list before Friday 13 February to receive priority booking.
Eligibility
- We welcome participants from all ages 18 and over
- Participants must have sufficient English language skills in order to fully engage with the course
- No prior experience required.
About the Course Tutors
Course 1 is taught by Eva Feiler and Amber James.
Eva Feiler trained at Guildhall School of Music & Drama (2013). During her training she was awarded the Gold Medal for Drama and Michael Bryant Award for verse speaking performed at the National Theatre.
TV and theatre credits include: We Were the Lucky One (Disney+/Hulu), The Crown (Netflix), Father Brown, Beyond Paradise (BBC), Othello (RSC), The Merchant of Venice (RSC), Eldorado (Arcola Theatre), and The Dog Beneath the Skin (Jermyn Street Theatre). Radio includes: Renaissance Man (BBC Radio 4), Wild Honey (BBC Radio 4) and Believe It! (BBC Radio 4). She won Best Narrator at the Audio Production Awards in 2023.
Eva holds an MA in Actor Training and Coaching from Central School of Speech & Drama (2022) and teaches at various London drama schools (BA and foundation level) as well as regularly teaching on Guildhall's short courses. She specialises in workshops on Shakespeare, presence and play.
Amber James trained at Guildhall. Graduating in 2015, she has since has built up a hugely impressive cv across theatre and television. Amber has played multiple leading roles with the Royal Shakespeare Company, including Cressida (Troilus and Cressida) and Imogen (Cymbeline), for the latter of which she was a recipient of the prestigious Ian Charleston Award: an award celebrating the best classical performances from actors under 30.
Other theatre work includes Titania & Hippolyta in A Midsummer Nights Dream (Regents Park Open Air) and Stella in A Streetcar Named Desire (ETT), as well as roles at the Almedia Theatre, Park Theatre, Kiln Theatre, RSC and Shakespeare’s Globe. Most recently she played Celia in As You Like It opposite Harriet Walter, directed by the Oscar nominated Ralph Fiennes.
On screen, Amber was recently a series regular on new series The Game (Channel 5). Other screen work includes Heartstopper (Netflix), Dodger (BBC), Vera (ITV), Grace (ITV).
Amber regularly teaches on Guildhall short courses and for Guildhall Young Artists online. She is also a panellist for the BA Acting auditions.
Course 2 is taught by Patrick Osborne.
Patrick Osborne is an actor who graduated from Guildhall School of Music & Drama in 2010. His theatre work includes Much Ado About Nothing and The Tempest (Shakespeare’s Globe), Comedy of Errors (RSC and Barbican), Shakespeare in Love (West End), Peter Pan (Open Air, Regents Park), Noises Off (UK tour), All My Sons, The Cherry Orchard and Kindertransport (Nottingham Playhouse), Accolade and After October (Finborough Theatre). TV and Film credits include Their Finest and The Borgias.
He has taught on the Foundation Course at ALRA and at Guildhall on the Acting Summer School and the Preliminary Acting Course, where he also facilitates workshops for the Access and Participation Department.
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