Theatre Directing MFA (PG)

Birkbeck, University of London

This MFA Theatre Directing offers professionally recognised training for theatre directors. The result of a collaboration between Birkbeck and the Arts Council England, Equity and UK Theatre, the course provides a unique opportunity to work with theatre actors, writers and designers, while being introduced to the structural and financial realities of working as a director in the industry.

You will spend time at a leading drama school, learning how actors are trained for today’s theatre. Intensive units with expert professionals, including noted practitioners such as Mike Leigh, Mike Alfreds, Vicki Mortimer, Natalie Abrahami and Lyndsey Turner, will concentrate on the director’s relationship with the designer and the writer, and offer a practical understanding of how theatre companies and pieces of work are funded and managed.

You will then further develop your skills as a director through secondment to a theatre company where you will have the opportunity to assist on at least three productions; collaborators include the Royal Exchange Manchester, Leicester Curve, Octagon Theatre Bolton, Mercury Colchester, The Orange Tree and the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith.

Highlights

• We also offer a number of bursaries for postgraduate students.
• The course includes a six- to nine-month secondment with a theatre company, providing the opportunity to direct and work with professional actors; a three-month secondment to a leading drama school; extended mentoring relationships between students and professional directors; and regular observation of the course by a highly experienced group of professional directors.
• Our Centre for Contemporary Theatre runs a postgraduate reading group and offers opportunities to show work in progress as part of the summer festival, Arts Week.
• Birkbeck was ranked 2nd in the UK for its English Language and Literature research in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.

Careers and employability

Possible professions include:

• theatre director
• artistic director
• associate director
• opera director
• theatre producer
• literary manager
• dramaturg.

Recent graduates have directed productions at prestigious West End and regional theatres including:

• The National Theatre
• The RSC
• The Globe
• The Royal Court
• English National Opera
• The Almeida
• The Young Vic
• The Old Vic
• The Lyric Hammersmith
• The Gate
• Sheffield Theatres
• The Royal Exchange Manchester
• Leeds Playhouse
• Nottingham Playhouse.

Others have established their own companies, such as Coney, Curious Directive, Upstart and YESYESNONO.

Many of our graduates have won awards such as: the 2014 Olivier Award for Best Director; the James Menzies-Kitchin Award (the JMK) in 2021, 2015 and 2012; the Regional Theatre Young Directors Scheme (RTYDS) Award; the Stage Debut Award in 2019; and the Stage Award for Best Fringe Theatre.

We offer a comprehensive careers service - Careers and Enterprise - your career partner during your time at Birkbeck and beyond. At every stage of your career journey, we empower you to take ownership of your future, helping you to make the connection between your experience, education and future ambitions.