Let us take you through the different eras of Theatre and Drama, from medieval theatre to Renaissance and Victorian and how we reached the theatre we know of today.

When we look back at the history of theatre and drama, the first people that come to our mind are the Romans. They were the ones who introduced the culture of acting and performance in auditoriums to the United Kingdom. Medieval theatre was mostly religious and biblical, with different styles known as mystery plays, morality plays,  farces (exaggerated comedy), and masques. Jumping forward to the Renaissance and Jacobean periods, history plays depicting the lives of kings became widespread along with genres such as tragedies, comedies, pastorals, tragicomedies. Some of the most notable people of that time were William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, Thomas Dekker, and John Fletcher.

Later, in the 17th century, the theatres faced recession. The Puritans closed English theatres in 1642 due to religious reasons. However, in 1660, the monarchy was restored and Charles II opened London’s theatres. When he reintroduced theatre and drama, new genres were developed including heroic, pathetic, and Restoration comedy.  At this time the main focus of the plays was female suffering. 

In the Victorian era, playwrights like Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw wrote plays to address social problems on the stage.

In earlier times theatre and drama were the main source of entertainment as well as knowledge. From morality plays to pathetic comedy plays, and biblical plays, all were moulded according to the era and thus taught different lessons.    

Moreover, these plays acted as a medium to teach people communication, creativity, critical thinking, and the expression of all sorts of emotions. 

The top universities that are offering Theatre and Drama courses in the United Kingdom are:

The University offer 22 courses for Drama, Dance & Cinematics including a BA (Hons) in Drama and English Literature, a BA (Hons) in Drama and Film Studies, a BA (Hons) in Drama, and 19 more courses. Annually, this university welcomes around 15,000 students to its campus. It is ranked 22nd in the university league table 2025. 

Ranked 14th in the University league table, the University of Exeter offer 33 courses in Drama, Dance & Cinematics including a BA (Hons) in Art History & Visual Culture and Drama, Drama and Film & Television Studies, and many more courses. This is a world-recognized university that welcomes 30,000 students from 155+ nationalities. It has four friendly campuses, and it is a part of Russell Group University.

Positioned 17th on University League Table 2025, ranked in the UK top 10 for Research Quality and winner of Gold-standard teaching (TEF 2023), the University of York is one of the top-ranked universities in the UK. The University 4 UG courses for Drama, Dance & Cinematics. It offers Business of Creative Industries BA (Hons), Film and Television Production BSc (Hons), Music and Sound Recording BA (Hons), and Theatre: Writing, Directing, and Performance BA (Hons).

It is ranked in the top 10 in the Complete University Guide 2024, it hosts around 15,000 students from 100+ countries. 91% of students do full-time studies here and this university offers around 43 courses in Drama, Dance & Cinematics. Some of the popular courses are Drama Theatre and Performance BA (Hons), Film and Creative Writing BA (Hons), Film and Sociology BA (Hons), and more courses.

It offers 48 courses in Theatre and Drama stream. The University of Glasgow is ranked 28th in the University League Table, and 5th in the UK in the Drama, Dance & Cinematics League Table. The university offers an MA (Hons) in Archaeology/Theatre Studies and an MA (Hons) in Classics/Film & Television Studies and many more courses.

Founded in 1876, the University of Bristol is a research-intensive institution. The university offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees. Every year around 25,000 students join the University of Bristol. Among the courses it offers, some of the popular ones are Film and English BA (Hons), Film and Television with Innovation MA (Hons), Theatre and Film BA (Hons),  Theatre and Performance Studies BA (Hons), etc. Check the official website to check the complete list of courses.

University of Warwick’s University League Table 2025 ranking is 10th and it offers 14+ UG and PG courses in the Drama, Dance & Cinematics category. Some popular courses are Film and Literature BA (Hons), Film Studies BA (Hons) and Theatre and Performance Studies BA (Hons). Visit the official website to learn more about the courses, fees and requirements.

The University of Edinburgh offers only two undergraduate courses for Drama and Dance & Cinematics. It is ranked 15th in the university league table. The two UG courses are Film and Television BA (Hons) and Performance Costume BA (Hons). The University's entrepreneurial and interdisciplinary culture attracts students and staff from around the world, creating a unique experience.

Guildhall School of Music & Drama is ranked 5th in QS World University Rankings by Subject Performing Arts 2025. Additionally, it is also ranked # No. 1 in the Arts, Drama & Music League Table 2025. Around 35% of the students of total numbers of students come from outside the UK. The Guildhall School of Music and Drama offer quality training and practical experience in music, drama and the production arts.

The University of Surrey is ranked 12th in the University League Table 2025, the university hosts around 25,000 international students from 140+ countries. The university offers around 10 UG and certificate courses. Some of the top courses are Acting BA (Hons), Actor Musician BA (Hons), Film Production and Broadcast Engineering BEng (Hons). Check the complete list of courses on their website.

Other Honourable mentions are:

• University of Birmingham

• Queen Mary University of London

• University of Aberdeen

• Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA)

• Royal Central School of Speech and Drama

• Bristol Old Vic Theatre School

• Guildhall School of Music and Drama 

Some of these are schools whose main focus is on Theatre and Drama.

The completion of this course opens the door to various career opportunities. For instance,

The most common and desired field for theatre and drama graduates is acting. Whether in films, TV shows, commercials, or on stage.

If you have a vision for what people want to see on screen, then you can enter this field. From production to casting, lights, sounds, and more, you will have the power to mould things according to your ideas. 

For people who have a love for writing and want to make a significant change in society, becoming a playwright is a wise choice to make. There are no boundaries to your creativity, and you can write stories from your imagination as well as your personal.  

A stage manager is responsible for coordinating all the aspects of production in theatre, which includes rehearsals, set design, and all technical work. 

After becoming an arts administrator, you can work in a theatre, museum, or at any cultural institution. The key roles to play are managing budgets, fundraising, and other business aspects. 

Love going to concerts? Then this is the job for you as you! You can be part of management and still enjoy all your favourite concerts. As an event producer you would have to plan and execute live events, for instance, concerts, festivals, and theatrical productions. 

Do you want to watch and review plays for a living? Theatre critics do that and more! Add your valuable insight and be part of theatrical literary debates.

To conclude, this course will not only benefit a person in their professional field but will also enhance an individual’s personality. Moreover, these days everyone values performing arts as a career, as it is a field that will continue to grow. So what are you waiting for? Kickstart your career by studying Theatre and Drama in the United Kingdom.

We hope that we have conveyed Theatre and Drama in the UK and its prospects. Get ready to start your journey to study in UK, and live a dreamy life. For deeper insight, we encourage you to speak with our expert counsellors at 三只羊黑料 Education Consultants (MOEC). If you cannot travel to our office, you can avail of our free online counselling service via the website. Our team is filled with dedicated counsellors who will provide you with the best guidance and support so that you can enrol yourself at the UK’s top universities. Please do not stop yourself from contacting us at application02@meridean.org or call us at 1800-1230-00011.