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, 20 Jan – 24 Feb 2026 | Course 2: Wednesday evenings, 21 Jan – 25 Feb 2026
Course times:: 7pm–9pm
Age:: 18+
Art form:: Drama
Fees:: £295
Deadline:: Bookings will close at 5pm on Friday 16 January 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 | Spring Courses (January–March)
Contact details:: shortcourses@gsmd.ac.uk; +44 (0)20 7382 2310

Public booking opens at 11am, Monday 27 October. Join our mailing list before Friday 24 October to receive priority booking.

Ages 18+

Course Dates & Times

Course 1

Tuesday evenings on 20, 27 January, 3, 10, 17, 24 February 2026
7pm–9pm*
*The final session on 24 February will last 2.5 hours.

Course 2

Wednesday evenings on 21, 28 January, 4, 11, 18, 25 February 2026
7pm–9pm*
*The final session on 25 February 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 be using 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 27 October. Join our mailing list before Friday 24 October 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 2 is taught by Amber James.

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 Eva Feiler.

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 short courses. She specialises in workshops on Shakespeare, presence and play.