Any thoughts on 4th Monkey Drama School?

Original post by Annierose08

Hi every body, am thinking about doing the 1 Year course at 4th Monkey drama school in Finsbury Park north London but I can’t find any student feedback or reviews about the place. Any info you have would be appreciated thanks

I've been to see one performance of theirs, Mother Courage. I go to see a lot of Lamda performances and the occasional one at Rada and I have to say that I thought Fourth Monkey were well below that standard.

Reply 2

Sunscolide

Avoid. like the plague.

Reply 3

Annierose08

OP

4

Thanks for this Sunscollide. Is there any reason or insight for your opinion? It’s a lot of money and I’m not sure about it now. Many thanks

Reply 4

Sunscolide

I personally know a few different people that went there and they all feel like they were sucked in by really good marketing and then the course was really bad value for money, and everything was a little bit smoke and mirrors, things being promised and not delivered etc. They market being part of a bigger family and industry relevant, but it's all a lie unless you're one of their favourite students - If you question any of their practices you are immediately alienated for the rest of the course. and It's a lot of money without the ability to finance it. Lastly, they use their professional company as a big pull, promising opportunities, however it has only ever done 1 professional show. which employed something like 5 students in total. It just all feels very off.

Original post by Annierose08

Thanks for this Sunscollide. Is there any reason or insight for your opinion? It’s a lot of money and I’m not sure about it now. Many thanks

Reply 5

Original post by Sunscolide

I personally know a few different people that went there and they all feel like they were sucked in by really good marketing and then the course was really bad value for money, and everything was a little bit smoke and mirrors, things being promised and not delivered etc. They market being part of a bigger family and industry relevant, but it's all a lie unless you're one of their favourite students - If you question any of their practices you are immediately alienated for the rest of the course. and It's a lot of money without the ability to finance it. Lastly, they use their professional company as a big pull, promising opportunities, however it has only ever done 1 professional show. which employed something like 5 students in total. It just all feels very off.

Interesting. You - and the OP - might be interested in the argument I had with Fourth Monkey's official TSR rep a year ago.

https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?p=75024872

Reply 6

Annierose08

OP

4

Thanks for this. Very helpful. Xx

Reply 7

RedKitchen

8

I personally wouldn't bother with Fourth Monkey. Their 2 year repertory course is, what, £22,000 for both years? They also only offer a scholarship for their second year, so even if you hate it there they've still managed to sucker £11,000 off you. You'd honestly be better off just joining a local drama group, attending open casting days and getting an agent in London - as that's all Fourth Monkey sort of boils down to. Whether their individual drama training is any good or not is yet to be known.

Reply 8

Annierose08

OP

4

Thanks for this RedKitchen. I totally take your points. In fairness, I saw a recent performance st Fourth Monkey and thought it was really good, fluent verse speaking, imaginative physical theatre and moving performances. I guess you never know how any course will go until you get there. Thanks to everyone for contributing.

Original post by RedKitchen

I personally wouldn't bother with Fourth Monkey. Their 2 year repertory course is, what, £22,000 for both years? They also only offer a scholarship for their second year, so even if you hate it there they've still managed to sucker £11,000 off you. You'd honestly be better off just joining a local drama group, attending open casting days and getting an agent in London - as that's all Fourth Monkey sort of boils down to. Whether their individual drama training is any good or not is yet to be known.

Reply 9

Original post by Annierose08

Thanks for this RedKitchen. I totally take your points. In fairness, I saw a recent performance st Fourth Monkey and thought it was really good, fluent verse speaking, imaginative physical theatre and moving performances. I guess you never know how any course will go until you get there. Thanks to everyone for contributing.

That's interesting - as I said above, I was completely underwhelmed a couple of years ago. Have you seen any other drama school performances for comparison?

Reply 10

username4848624

3

Avoid! Avoid and Avoid! I know someone who had a really bad experience there. They still owe several thousand pounds to my friend probably as this person dropped out of the programme as it was not up to the promised standard.The training is mediocre and the shows way below average. Terrible stage fighting and accent classes. There is a certain Steve there that apparently mentors the students. He is actually a sly fox to beware. Focus on getting in at an accredited school and don't get blinded by the marketing they put on.

Reply 11

Melpomene

Original post by ageshallnot

Interesting. You - and the OP - might be interested in the argument I had with Fourth Monkey's official TSR rep a year ago.

https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?p=75024872

I have been reading your commentary on Fourth Monkey. It seems that your qualification for slating the institution is based upon a performance that you didn’t enjoy. I found the school’s response to your rudeness polite and restrained. This is a site with influence over the opinions of many people at a vulnerable time in their development. They can be swayed by opinions of people about whom they know nothing. I have read many reviews of the school, which is developing a reputation for producing creative, resilient and innovative actors who can work across the industry. There is room for diversity in training.

Reply 12

Original post by Melpomene

I have been reading your commentary on Fourth Monkey. It seems that your qualification for slating the institution is based upon a performance that you didn’t enjoy. I found the school’s response to your rudeness polite and restrained. This is a site with influence over the opinions of many people at a vulnerable time in their development. They can be swayed by opinions of people about whom they know nothing. I have read many reviews of the school, which is developing a reputation for producing creative, resilient and innovative actors who can work across the industry. There is room for diversity in training.

What a very interesting post!

Why is it so interesting? Well, for a start you have completely misrepresented what I have said. Let's look at this for a moment...

In this thread I stated that I had been to a Fourth Monkey public performance and that it was well below the standard of the Lamda and Rada performances I have seen. I also linked to a thread in which I had disagreed with the Fourth Monkey TSR rep.

In your criticism of me you stated that my "slating" of Fourth Monkey was based on watching a performanceI didn't enjoy. (That much is true - I thought it was barely a good 6th form level.) However you then referred to the school's response to me - yet they haven't responded on this thread. It is therefore completely certain that you are talking about the other thread, the one to which I provided a link.

But here's the thing. In that thread the vast majority of the discussion was not about that single performance, but about what constitutes success for a drama school. ( I was critical of the official Fourth Monkey line on why they were so good.)

So when you state that my "qualification" for criticising Fourth Monkey was a single performance you absolutely KNEW that was not the case. So why have you deliberately said something which isn't true? In addition, you describe me as having been "rude". Where and how?

One point of agreement we have is on influencing young people. That is another area in which I have been very critical of Fourth Monkey. Their official rep on TSR has used their posts as virtual adverts for their school. And in my opinion they have also misrepresented the degree of success which Fourth Monkey have had with their fee-paying students. I regard that as reprehensible.

Finally there is the case of you. Your final two sentences sound like pure advertising on behalf of Fourth Monkey. Where are the many reviews of the school's reputation for "producing creative, resilient and innovative actors" Who are these people? If you provide examples of such a reputation then I will acknowledge them willingly.

Finally, it seems transparently clear that you are in some way connected to Fourth Monkey. Perhaps you could tell us all what that connection is???

(edited 4 years ago)

Reply 13

Melpomene

I have absolutely no connection to fourth monkey. I am not working in the arts. I simply love theatre and the arts and am tired of the same old pap produced by some “top” drama schools. I prefer my theatre to be rough and hark back to the classics and Shakespeare with visceral performance. Fourth Monkey is relatively new as a school but I have watched it’s development and like the ethos and it’s inclusivity- there appear to be more actors training there not from middle class backgrounds. Drama school should not be measured by the method you favour in my view. It’s value is intrinsic as well as extrinsic because it’s product does good for society as a whole. Therefore I have no wish for drama schools to be conveyor belts churning out the same boring “types” I can spot the different schools straight away in the way they have schooled their people. All schools have favourites- from what I see though this one values effort, honesty and esprit de corps. I wish them all well. Sorry if I disappoint but I have never met any of them.

Reply 14

Original post by Melpomene

I have absolutely no connection to fourth monkey. I am not working in the arts. I simply love theatre and the arts and am tired of the same old pap produced by some “top” drama schools. I prefer my theatre to be rough and hark back to the classics and Shakespeare with visceral performance. Fourth Monkey is relatively new as a school but I have watched it’s development and like the ethos and it’s inclusivity- there appear to be more actors training there not from middle class backgrounds. Drama school should not be measured by the method you favour in my view. It’s value is intrinsic as well as extrinsic because it’s product does good for society as a whole. Therefore I have no wish for drama schools to be conveyor belts churning out the same boring “types” I can spot the different schools straight away in the way they have schooled their people. All schools have favourites- from what I see though this one values effort, honesty and esprit de corps. I wish them all well. Sorry if I disappoint but I have never met any of them.

And presumably have never had a connection with 4M in the past?

How many Fourth Monkey performances have you attended in the past few years? Ditto Rada, Lamda or any other "top" drama schools?

The people to whom I referred were the special actors being produced by 4M according to you. What analysis have you carried out to determine that more come from non-middle class backgrounds?

Again I ask where the "many reviews" praising 4M?

And again I ask where and how I was rude in my previous exchanges with the 4M TSR rep?

Reply 15

username4848624

3

Avoid like the plague. The management and director are acting from a corrupt leadership. They basically allow anyone to join and pass the auditions. They monetised the rejected which sadly fail at more prestigious schools.The school is ultra woke, and not in a positive way.The rooms are always cold. What I can say is that the physical theatre bit is very demanding and will get you up in shape right away. But other than that, the intellectual level is sub par. Basically, in this school everyone gets a gold medal just for participating (and paying their fees).Avoid, avoid, avoid. If you can, work better on your skills and get experience to re-audition somewhere else. You're welcome

Reply 16

lindybeth

I've got my audition at 4th Monkey in a couple of weeks how many students do they except?

Reply 17

09lasenbyd01

can you explain why he is so bad?

Reply 18

Shiznak21

Clearing and Applications Advisor

Original post by lindybeth

I've got my audition at 4th Monkey in a couple of weeks how many students do they except?

I'm currently a fourth monkey student myself on the accelerated BA course, it depends on what course you are doing. I did the foundation year last year there was a total of 27 of us and on the BA there were over 50 students, now that I'm doing the BA they have created a three-year course that has split the classes in half. there are 29 students on my course and 25 on the 3-year course. also in regards to this thread i currently love the course and its very challenging but engaging and enjoyable

Reply 19

PQ