Upcoming
Classes and Workshops
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BURSARY PLACES:
Thanks to the success of our first Brighton 24 Hour Play Festival in April 2024, we were able to use some of the money raised from ticket sales to offer Free Bursary Places to 2 people on low incomes. If income is a barrier to attendance, let us know, and we may be able to offer a reduced rate course fee (availability dependent).
BRIGHTON CLASSES
Beginners' Drama
This is a fun introduction to drama. You will play drama games, learn theatre acting technique and get creative with character and script work. If you'd like to build your confidence in a supportive, group setting, this is the course for you. All ages (18+) welcome. Early booking recommended.
On the last week of class, you are welcome to stay and attend our Winter Showcase and watch what our Brighton and Shoreham Intermediate and Advanced Groups have been up to!
2024 DATES
Wed 25th September-Wed 4th Dec (No class Wed 30th October)
Time: 6.30pm-8pm
£148 for 10 Weeks
Venue: One Church, Gloucester Place, BN1 4AA​​​​​
Intermediate Drama
Explore theatre acting techniques, learn more about improvisation, script work, and how to create a character. We'll work on scenes and speeches from contemporary plays. Add a weekly dose of play and collaboration to your life.
This course is for those who have already completed a course with us or who have previous drama experience elsewhere and want to learn more. All ages (18+) welcome. Early booking recommended. This term we'll be working towards a showcase in December, open to friends and family.
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2024 DATES
Wed 25th September-Wed 4th Dec (No class Wed 30th October)
Time: 8pm-9.30pm
£148 for 10 Weeks
Venue: One Church, Gloucester Place, BN1 4AA
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Advanced Drama
This course is for people who are serious about acting and have been to drama classes before. Maybe you'd like to become a professional actor and want to learn technique. Maybe you've started your acting journey and want to keep your skills sharp. Or maybe you've done a few courses with us or elsewhere and feel ready for a new challenge. We'll get to grips with scenes, monologues, movement for stage, Meisner Technique, actioning scripts, Michael Chekhov Technique and vocal development. Open to amateur and professional actors, performers from different disciplines i.e. performance poets, comedians, dancers etc and anyone with a passion to discover more about acting. This term we'll be working towards a December showcase open to friends & family. All ages (18+) welcome. Early booking recommended.
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2024 DATES
Thursdays: 26th Sept , 3rd Oct, 10th Oct, 17th Oct, 24th Oct, 7th Nov, 14th Nov, 21st Nov, 28th Nov
FINAL CLASS & SHOWCASE: Wednesday: 4th Dec
Time: 7pm-9pm.
(Aside from Wed 4th Dec which will be a combined rehearsal and performance from 6.30pm-9.30pm)
£190 for 10 Weeks.
Venue: St Mary's Church Hall, St. James Street, Kemp Town, BN2 1PR
Showcase Venue: One Church Brighton, Gloucester Place​​​​
SHOREHAM CLASSES
​WEDNESDAY DRAMA SHOREHAM
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Suitable for adults of all ages who would like to build confidence, meet new people and express their creativity in a fun and supportive setting.
Learn acting technique and get creative with character, script work and improvisation. Suitable for beginners. and people with some previous experience. This term we'll be developing a short piece of theatre for performance at our Winter Showcase in Brighton! All ages (18+) welcome. Early booking advised as this course often sells out.
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2024 DATES
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Wed 18th September-Wed 4th Dec (No class Wed 30th October)
Time: 6.30pm-8pm
Showcase Wed 4th Dec: 6.30pm-9.30pm (including rehearsal)
£145 for 11 Weeks.
Venue: Ropetackle Arts Centre, Shoreham
Winter Showcase Venue: One Church Brighton, Gloucester Place
WORTHING CLASSES
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BEGINNERS' DRAMA WORTHING
We are delighted to bring our drama classes to the beautiful Heene Community Centre Worthing. This course is suitable for adults of all ages who would like to build confidence, meet new people, and express themselves in a fun and supportive setting. Maybe you’ve always wanted to try acting. Maybe you’d like to develop your spontaneity. Or maybe you’d like to get better at speaking in front of other people. People take our courses for various reasons and enjoy the weekly dose of play and connection drama provides.
You’ll learn theatre acting techniques and get creative with character, script work and improvisation. This course is suitable for beginners and people who have done a little drama already.
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Tuesday 24th September-Tues 3rd December
Venue: Heene Community Centre, 122 Heene Rd, Worthing BN11 4PL
Time: 6.30pm-8pm
Price: £145 for 10 Weeks
INTERMEDIATE DRAMA WORTHING
This course is for adults who have already completed our Beginners' Drama Course or have previous drama experience elsewhere. Delving further into acting technique, script work, improvisation, creating characters, vocal technique. Build focus, develop spontaneity and self confidence. Meet new people and express creativity in a fun, supportive setting. All ages (18+) welcome! This term we'll be working towards a Christmas showcase in December!
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2024 DATES
Tuesday 24th September-Tues 3rd December
Venue: Heene Community Centre, 122 Heene Rd, Worthing BN11 4PL
Time: 8pm-9.30pm
Price: £145 for 10 Weeks
Drama Class FAQs & Testimonials
Q: I've never done drama before, am I too inexperienced to take a class with Savage Heart?
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A: Not at all! We welcome complete beginners. Just make sure you book our Beginners Course!
Q: Who teaches the classes?
A: Our classes are taught by Joy Forsythe and Rachel Mae Brady who run Savage Heart. We both think creating a safe, supportive environment is essential for creativity. We pride ourselves on helping people build confidence and find their inner performer.
Joy ran weekly classes and staged 100+ productions over several years with her company the Irish Academy of Dramatic Arts, in Dublin. She has extensive experience as a freelance drama facilitator, running performance courses and workshops for Oxbridge Academic Programs, OXONDrama, and Theatre Royal Brighton.
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Before moving to Brighton, Rachel ran weekly adult drama courses with her school OXONDrama in Oxford from 2015-2021. As a freelance facilitator she has taught performance workshops and courses for Cherwell Theatre Company, Creation Theatre Company, the Mill Theatre, Banbury, EF Language schools, Oxbridge Academic Programs, Oxford Royale Academy, and boomsatsuma.
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Q: I really want to take a drama class but I'm terrified! Is drama right for me?
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A: YES! This is one of the most common questions people ask us. It's normal to be nervous before your first drama class. We understand that for many people who come along, showing up for the first class is the hardest part. We have years of experience creating safe, supportive spaces where you can build your confidence and express your creativity. You may feel a bit nervous for the first few minutes but we assure you, the first few classes are all about working as a group so you won't have lots of focus on you. Students often tell us that after the first few minutes of the first class, they forgot about their nerves and enjoyed having fun with the group.
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Q: Is drama good for confidence building?
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A: Drama is one of the best activities you can do to build your confidence. At least 50% of our students come to drama class to build confidence. Many of our students benefit from acting technique in their day-to-day lives, including feeling more at ease in social situations and more self assured at work.
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Q: What should I expect from my first drama class?
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A: Lots of low pressure games and exercises to get to know one another, build group trust and break down inhibitions. Easy movement, storytelling and character exercises in groups to learn about stage craft and some low pressure 'show and tell' in small groups.
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Q: Do you have an Advanced Class?
A: Yes! We just launched our Advanced Class in Sept 2023. Advanced level is suitable for experienced amateur actors who want to learn technique and professional actors, new to the industry who want to keep their skills sharp.
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​Testimonials
'I enjoyed every aspect of the classes. Joy was an excellent teacher and put everyone at ease very quickly. The games to get to know each other and to put people at ease were really good fun and definitely did the trick. It was amazing how relaxed the atmosphere was to enable everyone to take on roles/improvise so freely. The idea of this was daunting to start with but really wasn't so daunting in practice.' Rachel - Beginners' Drama Student
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'Do more classes please! I don’t know what to do with myself on a Thursday now and turns out I need this as a creative outlet!' Amy - Beginners' Drama Student
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'It has been really helpful for my mental health and fun/enjoyable.
I really enjoyed the scripted scenes and having to interact/be in the moment with others. Plus the framework of the classes moved at a really good pace.' Simon - Intermediate Drama Student
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'I had fun, I received a lot of support and constructive feedback. I felt valued, I felt challenged in the best way possible. I always left the class feeling like I had discovered something really insightful and I felt good and hopeful. It's something that I almost never experienced before with previous acting classes/training.' Lorraine - Intermediate Drama Student
