30,919 discussions, 145 guides
Conservatoire for Acting & Musical Theatre
30,919 discussions, 145 guides
Conservatoire for Acting & Musical Theatre
Conservatoire for Acting & Musical Theatre incorporating Guildford School of Acting
Millmead Terrace
Guildford
GU2 4YT
1935
There are no official campus publications but this is a drama school so the students aren't exactly starved of opportunities to express themselves.
GSA has plans to introduce a more comprehensive post graduate degree programme and to continue the improvements to its studios' technical facilities.
Michael Ball
Brenda Blethyn
Celia Imrie
Gaby Roslin
Given that the formerly simple name, 'Guildford School of Acting' has now changed to 'The Conservatoire for Acting & Musical Theatre incorporating the Guildford School of Arts' you'd think they be providing a stiff drink to help you get your tongue in order but no, there are no bars run by the School. There are plenty to choose from in Guildford though, Scruffy Murphy's on the river being the most convenient, a comfortable 30 second sprint from the doors of Millmead Terrace. Long distance runners are rewarded by a 15% discount at the bar of the Electric Theatre, near Wetherspoons (while you're in Wetherspoons, be sure to play the Traffic Light Game - sit upstairs with a view of the pedestrian crossing outside the Friary shopping centre and place bets on which car will cross the second set of studs first when the lights turn green - strangely addicting).
Major Functions number two: The Freshers' Ball and the Graduation Ball (incorporating the comedy Gordon Awards). Both are black tie dinner/dance events held in nearby hotels.
Being a drama school, the contact hours are high, and with many students having evening jobs as well, the opportunities for partying do not come as hard and fast as they do at most universities. However, the Students' Union organise the occasional theme night (St. Patricks, Austin Powers,...) in function rooms of local pubs (read Scruffy's) and being drama students, expect maybe a touch more flamboyance than usual.
There is no accommodation provided by the School, but it provides a list of properties with reputable landlords and a list of houses from which third years will shortly be leaving.
Guildford is an intimate town to walk around, there are lots of different parts to the town with their own separate characters, lots of fun to explore. It's more pubby than clubby, with plenty of variety from old traditional pubs to quite a few trendy new bars. Guildford's three clubs aren't too hot, not really too much more than places to carry on drinking after the pubs shut.
Bringing a car to Guildford isn't recommended. Parking near the School buildings is difficult. You'd probably end up spending more time driving around trying to find a space you don't have to pay for than it would take to walk - Guildford is hilly but compact.
All the major high street banks have branches in Guildford, the closest cash machines being a Link machine at the Halifax and Midland and Lloyd's machines a little further on. All within five minutes walk and on your way into town.
There are no bookshops run by the School, but there is a branch of Waterstones at the School end of town. Students also use French's on Tottenham Court Road, London for hard to obtain manuscripts.
Guildford is a very green city: a really pleasant place to be in the summer with gardens and parks in the town centre and gorgeous country side in (nearly) every direction. The school is just uphill from the River Wey and tow paths follow the floodplain (lots of grass, trees and the occasional flood) down the Wey Navigation. The Gardens around the Norman castle keep (watch out for smoking schoolkids!) have been the setting for a few of the School's outdoor produtions. The Lido on the other side of town is a great place to spend a day sunbathing, swimming and playing frisbee.
The School's Library is a good one, with a wide range of books, manuscripts, librettos, CDs and videos.
There are limited IT facilites in the School's library, but students have access to the facilities at the University of Surrey.
GSA has Hardship Funds, a Health and Welfare visitor and a counselling service
