Critical Reflection on Learning Experience Across the BAPP Arts Course

I can't quite believe it's all done! My presentation was yesterday, and I think it went okay, but it feels very peculiar that there's nothing left now to do!

Looking back across the whole of the course I really feel as though I have progressed and changed beyond all of my expectations. When I began the course I was still performing, and approached all of the work from this perspective. I knew I didn't want to perform much longer, but really had no idea what direction I wanted to take afterwards; hence starting the BAPP course in the first place.

Towards the end of Module One, thanks to much of the literature I was beginning to gather, I found what I wanted to do: dramaturgy and creative production, and I actually redid a lot of the work from the module to reflect this new perspective.

However, I still didn't know what I should use for my inquiry; I knew so little about either of these career paths that to research them to degree level seemed futile. So, midway through Module Two I was lucky enough to gain a place on the internship at the Finborough Theatre, which brought me into contact with writers, directors, producers and other theatre practitioners, who were all very passionate about New Writing, and I guess this rubbed off on me!

During Module Three I used these contacts to conduct my interviews, refine my ideas, and conduct dozens of conversations relating to my research, as everyone at the theatre was on the same level, so to speak, regarding their points of view, passions and interests. This allowed me to expand my knowledge and develop my critical thinking skills.

Throughout the whole course I have been working full-time, and for the first year I was also performing regularly, so it has been exhausting and challenging, and I have had a couple of breakdowns, wondering whether it would be worth it, whether I was doing the right thing, and if the stress was going to contribute to my future!

I'm still wondering this, but I'm proud and relieved that I got through the course, I'm pleased with what I researched as I have had several experiences in the past couple of weeks in which my area of interest was of use in conversation so I am convinced that I can build on my knowledge as I go forward in my career.

I have started another blog, in which to continue my theatre thinking, away from an academic perspective, so I hope to see some of you over there: www.morethannothingtheatre.blogspot.com

Congratulations Everyone!! We did it!!