Saturday 14 March 2015

Getting to GSA, for dummies!

If you've received an invitation to audition from GSA, then you'll know their info for their location and how to get there leaves a lot to be desired. Additionally, if you've had the misfortune to have looked up GSA on google maps whilst trying to find it you'll have discovered this leads you to the old building, on the opposite side of town.


Fortunately, I had been warned about this by the lovely babybeazle (http://babybeazletakesondramaschool.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/gsa.html)  otherwise I would certainly have fallen into this trap and ended up there too. 

With all that in mind, I have put together some directions to help you arrive at your audition as easily and as stress free as possible, because lets face it- who needs extra stress on audition day? 
I apologise for these only being useful if you travel by public transport but a) I haven't driven to the uni so am really not in a position to advise and b) in my experience most people get the train in anyway.


1) Get the train in to Guildford Station making sure that the train you arrive on will leave you with AT LEAST 20 minutes to get to GSA

2)When you get off the train, go up the stairs at the station, turn left and exit out of the small exit with only ~3 barriers. If you find yourself going out of the large, main entrance with an M&S and a Costa, you've gone the wrong way.

3)From here you have two options:
a) you can get the bus from the stop just opposite the station entrance. You'll want the 17,27 or the 37 and make sure you get off at the Twyford Court stop (just after the Austin Pearce stop). The bus will take you through the car park, onto the uni campus, past the lakes (on your right). Once the bus stops, simply get off and continue to walk the way the bus is going on the path. As you follow the bend of the road round and go past a car park you will find GSA on your right and the Ivy Arts Centre on your left (pretty easy to spot; it's covered in Ivy as the name suggests).

NB. I had a plusbus ticket, so I don't actually know how much the bus costs and therefore I can't really advise on its value for money. Also, if you have an audition on a Saturday morning, it's not worth getting the bus as there are hardly any at 8. I ended up waiting about 30 minutes for mine- not worth it!

b) Walking- when you've exited the station, turn right and walk along Guildford park road until you reach the second turning on the right.
Follow this road, bringing you into a car park and walk to the other side of it. You're now on the University of Surrey campus- make sure you keep on the main road. If you find yourself with student accommodation on your right and a GP practice on your left, you're going the right way!
You'll pass a big grey building (faculty of health and medical sciences) on your left and as you continue on this road there'll be some nice greenery on your right.
When you get to Senate house, follow the road round as it bends to the right, and keep walking with the lakes and the various sculptures on your right. Keep on this path, walking the same way. There is student accommodation on the left and you'll pass the Twford Court bus stop.
Eventually this road curves around, you'll pass another car park and a mini roundabout and discover GSA, the first building on the right.

I hope this advice is helpful to some of you out there, as always make sure you leave plenty of time to get to your auditions- better to be 30 minutes early than 5 minutes late! Apologies for the lack of recent writing, have had rather a lot on, but hoping to resume normal service shortly!

All the best!

the pg drama app