For Abbie, studying Acting and Performance at Queen Margaret University has been about developing as both a performer and a creative collaborator. Drawn to the course's equal focus on stage and screen acting, she found a supportive environment where students encourage one another to grow. From tackling challenging performance techniques to collaborating with students across different creative disciplines, Abbie has embraced every opportunity to build her confidence and creativity. This summer, she is co-producing and performing in A Midsummer Night's Dream with her theatre company, No Borders Theatre, with fellow student Oli Murphy.
Why did you choose to study at Queen Margaret University?
I knew a lot of people who attended QMU, specifically in the Acting and Performance course and heard nothing but good things about the course, and how involved the lectures are in helping you to become better.
What interested you about your chosen course?
Similar courses at other universities offer predominantly stage training with a little bit of screen training, but QMU offers an even split of stage and screen acting, helping you to become a more well-rounded performer.
Why attracted you to study in Edinburgh?
Edinburgh is such a diverse city, you get to meet people from every walk of life.
What have you most enjoyed about your course? What has been the highlight?
You can feel quite isolated in this industry, but the course offers you the opportunity to connect with like minded people, it’s such a nice experience to be in a room with people who want to work and create with you, instead of competing against you.
Have you participated in a course activity you found especially interesting?
The thing I found most interesting in the course, was also what I found most challenging, the text and technique assessment. We got the preform scenes from Shakespeare’s Love’s Labour’s Lost. I had the challenge of being cast as a male character by the name of Boyet. We had two weeks of intensive rehearsals to prepare, and by the end my work in that scene is what I felt most proud of throughout the year.
How have your lecturers supported your learning?
The lecturers offer a good balance of supporting you in training as well as letting you find your own footing, but you always know that they are waiting in the background and will not let you fall.
What have been some of your challenges with the course and university life? How have you overcome them?
One of my biggest challenges coming to university was the leaving home aspect, moving to a new city where you don’t know anyone and being away from family can be very disorienting, but the lectures are there to help and support you, and QMU has plenty of social aspects to help you make friends, such as the various societies.
Have you been a part of any extracurricular programmes during your time as a student at QMU? If so, how has it helped you develop skills and experience?
I collaborated with students from the Costume and Design course, who created a bespoke costume for me for the costume showcase. I also worked with fourth-year Film and Media students on their dissertation projects.
What QMU student services have you used to support you through your university journey and how have they helped you?
I am dyslexic, and the University was incredibly supportive, helping me to create personalised individual learning plans to help us with our coursework.
What has been the most valuable lesson that you’ve learned at university?
Not thinking too far ahead that you forget to live in the moment and take in what is happening around you.
What are you plans after graduation? Tell us about your ambitions and where you see yourself in the future?
After graduation I hope to continue to be able to make my own work, developing my creativity and seeing my visions come to life.
