Abstract
Considering the role of the learning space as a pedagogic tool, this chapter examines the learning experiences of the undergraduate student in traditional university lecture-based scenarios in comparison to the experiences of the student undertaking a professional actor training within a conservatoire, through a student–staff partnership research project based within the Guildford School of Acting at the University of Surrey. This school is one of the most highly regarded drama schools in the UK with a vibrant community of performers, performance makers, creative practitioners and technicians graduating from a variety of programmes each year. Findings draw from the student and staff authors’ personal experiences, as well as interviews with tutors at the Guildford School of Acting.