Performance

Why study a performance course at ARU?

• You’ll train in professional-standard facilities including our 260-seater Mumford Theatre, a dedicated drama studio with flexible black-box performance space, a spacious recital hall, and five climate-controlled recording studios
• You’ll learn from and be supported by industry-active practitioners as well as expert academics
• You can develop your technical and production skills in our specialist facilities for both recorded and live performance, including motion capture and green screen
• You’ll graduate with a professional CV, headshots and showreel, and develop a portfolio of professional skills for work in the creative industries, with opportunities to collaborate with other creative students, specialist tutors, community partners and industry professionals
• You can also get involved with Cambridge's many acting troupes and events including Pied Pipers, Festival Players, Cambridge Theatre Company, and Cambridge Operatic Society as well as the famous The Cambridge Footlights as a writer, performer or member of the production team
• Our Drama and Dance courses ranked 13th in the UK in the Guardian University Guide 2025, with 92% for satisfied with teaching, while our Drama, Dance and Cinematics courses scored 91% overall in the Complete University Guide 2024
• In the National Student Survey 2024, our Performing Arts courses ranked 2nd in the UK for the Teaching on my Course and 4th for Learning Opportunities; our Drama courses scored 90% for Teaching on my course and 92% for Freedom of students to express ideas, opinions and beliefs

Our courses