Two-Year Vocational Conservatoire Training

Grow your potential to face any challenge.

Deepen your craft and extend your range

The two-year programme offers an advanced understanding of the wider world of acting. It builds upon the solid base of the famous Fonact ensemble, and encourages authenticity by connecting voice and body. We work to find yet more confidence, truth, generosity and creative freedom in our students.

The core curriculum remains solid and unwavering, to ensure you leave with the skills to empower you as an artist and be equipped for the industry. However, we constantly evolve our content to today’s rapidly changing world and adapt to each unique ensemble, depending on individuals and dynamics.

The programme explores the following modules:

- Movement training
- Voice training
- Project work on a variety of texts and genres
- Screen acting and casting workshops with industry professionals
- Full scale theatrical production

Previous second-year projects include:

- Intensive Shakespeare Project
- Acting for camera with various visiting UK Television directors
- Devised work
- Greek tragedy
- Choreopoetry project
- Cabaret production performing in both France and Belgium
- Movement project
- Mask work
- Clowning workshops.

Acting

Our two-year professional training creates the environment for self-discovery and a deeper relationship with your craft. Classes are advanced, intensive, and challenging and are designed to build confidence, encourage freedom, and extend your range as an artist.

Acting projects broaden artistic curiosity and allow you to explore observations of the real world within the framework of a play. With advanced study, you will see key connections between the real, poetic and imaginary worlds, expanding your imagination and developing your authentic artistic voice.  

As a two-year student, you play an active part in rehearsals as you develop your professional ability to play out a scene and apply directorial notes on characterisation. Initiative and imagination are expected in the rehearsal room as you learn to collaborate with scene partners and build upon the foundations of our core ensemble work.  

We encourage you to be open with your scene partners, your own impulses and your instincts within a scene as you learn to experiment and play with the rhythms and dynamics of your body, your voice, and your space.  

There is a performance or showing at the end of each term, with at least two professional full-scale theatre productions. You will work with a professional team to engage in the professional rehearsal process, which includes: 

  • Artistic Director 
  • Technicians 
  • Set Designer 
  • Costume Designer 
  • Sound Designer  
  • Sound Operator 

Movement

Advanced movement training builds a deeper understanding of pure movement and developed movement improvisation. This exploration allows you to evolve in your movement, sharing your creative inspiration and generosity of spirit.

Movement classes explore: 

  • Body alignment 
  • Functional movement 
  • Weight transference 
  • Spatial awareness  

We will build on the work of Laban and movement improvisation to include Feldenkrais and Alexander elements, as well as movement patterns that lead to self-reliance 

We work on movement improvisation, physical strength, contact improvisation, and independent movement study. You learn to translate and transpose the rhythms of the world within the space through your bodies. Movement classes encourage your sense of rhythm and the rhythmic movement of the body through simple, complex, or choreographed movements.  

Throughout the two-year course, you learn to understand and negotiate the physical requirements of each acting project and explore how to align and prepare your body for each project’s objectives. You will study how to proficiently warm-up: lower limbs, pelvis, torso, spine, upper limbs, and relax the muscles.

Movement classes enable you to explore and express the imagination through your body, in a range of forms, for both rehearsal and performance. The course develops your physical confidence and builds a wider control and understanding of your body, such as its inherent tensions, rhythm, dynamics, flexibility, and alignment. 

Voice

The two-year course gives you a wider understanding of the anatomy of the speaking/singing voice, placement for character vocalisation, as well as advanced pitch and tone zone relationships. This deeper level of craftwork is essential to allow your imagination and creativity to find truthful expression.

You will explore the stylistic vocal and breathing requirements for different texts and genres, as well as:

  • The intricate relationship between voice, breathing and movement  
  • The emotional life of breathing and its link to thought and intention 
  • The adaptation of the voice to a range of linguistic styles  
  • The technical and imaginative connection to text from a stable vocal base.  

Independent practice is encouraged outside of class as it will help you to fully explore the craft of voice work. All projects and productions develop your vocal instrument and during the programme you will see the progression of how you project your voice and affirm your presence on stage. 

Evaluation

Progression is evaluated by module leaders, throughout the programme by continuous assessment. One final evaluation is assessed by an independent panel. there are nine evaluations in total.

 

Dates:

Term 1: 30 Septembre – 13 December 2024
Term 2: 13 January – 28 March 2025
Term 3: 28 April – 04 July 2025

 

97% of our students valued their time on this programme

In 2024 fourteen actors graduated from this course

Film & TV

The two-year course includes screen-acting modules and exposes you to the necessary preparations for camera work. With your ensemble, you will then write and produce a short film which you will all act in, as well as create your show reel.

Self Tape

Audition preparation is a key component of the Fonact timetable. We work to give you the skills and confidence to navigate the world of professional auditions.

Industry Input

Workshops and Q&A’s with visiting international professionals provide invaluable experience to prepare you for your launch into the profession.

Applications are open all year

Please note: all auditions will be done via Zoom.

Admissions