Weird and wonderful City Lit

The name Disney is synonymous with the story of American animation. In this course, we will learn about the history of the Disney Animation Studio during the lifecycle of its founder, Walt Disney. We will explore the origins of the studio within the context of early American animation, and discuss key films from its ‘classic’ era of production, including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Pinocchio (1940) and Bambi (1942).







Dr Alexander Sergeant is an award-winning film historian and theorist. His varied research interests include the history of popular culture, particularly within the US, and the intersection between film and philosophy. He is the author of Encountering the Impossible: The Fantastic in Hollywood Fantasy Cinema (2021), and co-editor ofFantasy/Animation: Connections Between Media, Mediums & Genres (2018). He is the co-founder of the popular website Fantasy-Animation.org and co-host of the Fantasy/Animation podcast.

Do we perceive time or the passage of events? Einstein famously considered time – or the distinction between past, present, and future – as an illusion. We examine subjective time or how we experience time, discussing the roles of memory, emotion, and narrative.

Take a guided walk through the old City and its borders taking in beheadings and brutality at the Tower, tales of cutpurses and con men, the rise of prisons and the ghastly punishments that were meted out to wrongdoers. We go on a journey to Newgate Gaol, the Bridewell Prison and the places of execution including the notorious Tyburn Tree to hear tales of brutality, escapes and the bloodthirsty crowds who watched executions. Our tour includes London’s atmospheric legal quarter taking in the Old Bailey, The Royal Courts of Justice and the Inns of Court to discover how London’s legal system developed .



Meet outside St Paul’s Cathedral by the Statue of Queen Anne.

Do you want to sound more confident, grounded, self-assured and assertive? Improve your vocal skills through a series of exercises that will support you to become more vocally confident, expressive and dynamic without appearing arrogant. This course will be delivered in the college.

Have fun acting, with theatre games and character exercises. Build your confidence, meet new people while you will learn and practice the key techniques needed for performing improvised comedy scenes.

We will explore the history and evolution of the big band and large ensemble in jazz throughout the 20th century.