Performing Arts

Our enthusiastic and knowledgeable staff are all industry-qualified and experienced practitioners, designers, directors, technicians and theatre professionals. This means that we can bring real and relevant experience to you and your work. We also work with other industry professionals – Performers, Directors and Companies including directors Lyndsey Turner and Katie Mitchell, Action to the Word, The Etcetera Theatre and The CLF Art Café – who will support and enrich your studies by providing specialist workshops in elements such as scriptwriting, stage combat, puppetry and classical theatre. We also have a specialist Acting for Screen lecturer who is working in industry and just been in a Hollywood film - Enemy lines.

Jamie Roberts – Head of Department - Performing Arts, Dance Tutor & Director

Jamie is an associate artist of The New Theatre Royal in Portsmouth and has trained at Trinity Laban, the UK’s only conservatoire of music and contemporary dance, Jamie has had work performed internationally and has worked with acclaimed choreographer Jasmin Vardimon.

Leanne Bentley – Singing Tutor & Director

Leanne has worked extensively as a jazz performer in London and currently fronts the rock band ‘The Weird Things’ who have recorded and released their debut album and are currently recording their second.

Gavin Maxwell – Tutor of Acting & Directing

Gavin trained at the prestigious East 15 Acting School and has worked as a professional actor for over 10 years. He most recently performed in Action To The Word’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Latitude Festival and at the National Theatre. He is Currently training with Frantic Assembly.

The department has excellent facilities including two full-scale Theatres (Black Box and Proscenium Arch), an Acting Studio, a Dance Studio, as well as good quality teaching rooms with Interactive White Boards and networked computers. We also have an extensive scenic workshop for set building and fully-stocked costume and props stores. We are continuing to develop our industry links with professional practitioners and companies who enrich the teaching at Nescot.

During careers week we bring in organisations such as Equity, the Arts Council and various practitioners including, agents, professional actors and casting directors. We also have a tax returns workshop and bring in former students to talk about life after Nescot.

If you are interested in the course then the next step is to apply. You will be invited in for an audition where you will be asked to perform either a monologue, song or dance of your choice (details will be sent before the interview date). You will also have an interview with members of the team where we will get to know more about you. At this interview we are not necessarily looking for outstanding academic ability as it is much more important to have a genuine passion and commitment for the subject, in addition to a pride in what you do and a desire to succeed.