National Festival of Community Theatre

United Kingdom Community Drama Festivals Federation
LocationLocation of participating festivals varies
Founded1927
Type of play(s)One Act Plays
Festival dateJuly for the British Final Festival of One Act Plays
Websitebritishfinal.org.uk

History

The UKCDFF (formerly known as National Festival of Community Theatre), established in 1927, is a United Kingdom-based celebration of amateur theatre at the local, national and UK level. Each year, the national amateur organisations in the home nations promote a series of one-act play festivals and, through various eliminating rounds, take part in the final stage. The final stage is called the British Final Festival of One Act Plays, and includes companies and enthusiasts from all over the UK. A Standing Committee of representatives of the four countries has overall control of the Festival, with each country in turn taking the responsibility for organising it.

The four partners in the United Kingdom Community Drama Festivals Federation are:

The festivals provide an opportunity for amateur companies to appear in new and varying venues before widely differing audiences, to receive constructive criticism from a qualified adjudicator (GoDA), and to compare the standard of their own work with that of the other companies taking part. For audiences, the public adjudication of performances offers a deeper understanding and appreciation of theatre.[1]

The productions from Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland will all have been publicly adjudicated at each stage. The overall winner receives the Howard de Walden Ewer award.[1]

Structure

Local festivals lead selected companies to a National Final Festival in each country, from which one company is selected to represent its country at the British Final Festival. All four annual rotating host countries of the Final remain in contact throughout the eliminating competition.[1]

  • England - All-England Theatre Festival
  • Wales - Wales Final Festival of One Act Plays
  • Scotland - SCDA Festival
  • Northern Ireland - Ulster One-Act Finals

British Final Festival of One Act Plays - results

The winners of the festival are presented with the Howard de Walden Trophy.

Year Nat Winners Participants Venue Location Adjudicator
...EnglandNorthern IrelandScotlandWales
2012 SCO Kirkton Players Total Arts Community Theatre
(The Tempest by William Shakespeare)		 The Clarence Players
(The Droitwich Discovery by TBC)		 Kirkton Players
(In the Blinking of an Eye by Jeremy Hylton-Davies)		 Blackwood Little Theatre
(Biscuits by TBC)		 Torch Theatre Milford Haven, Wales Ian Sarginson GoDA
2011 SCO Tryst Theatre ‘C’ Old Town Theatre Company
(The Recidivists by TBC)		 The Newpoint Players
(Can’t Stand Up for Falling Down by TBC)		 Tryst Theatre ‘C’
(Art (Act I) by TBC)		 New ‘Tabs’ Players
(A Kind of Vesuvius by TBC)		 Wyvern Theatre Swindon, England Mike Tilbury GoDA
2010 NIR Lurig Drama Group Cushendall Oasis Youth Theatre
(One Million To Stop The Traffik by Mark Wheeller)		 Lurig Drama Group Cushendall
(Melody by Deirdre Kinahan)		 Thistle Theatre Company
(The Hitch-Hiker by Lucille Fletcher)		 The Unknown Theatre Company
(Cotton Girls by Scott Tobin)		 The Village Theatre Pitlochry, Scotland Dr Russell Boyce BA DSD FRSAMD FRSE
2009[2]  SCO Kirkton Players Total Arts Community Theatre
(Moll Flanders by J Machen)		 The Clarence Players
(A Little Something For The Ducks by Jean Lennox Toddle)		 Kirkton Players
(Two by Jim Cartwright)		 New "Tabs" Theatre
(But Yesterday by Jimmy Chinn)		 Ardhowen Theatre Enniskillen, Northern Ireland Walker Ewart GoDA
2008  SCO Stewarton Drama Group St Paul's Drama Group
(Happy Jack by John Godber)		 The Holywood Players
(The Bay at Nice by David Hare)		 Stewarton Drama Group
(One Good Beating by Linda McLean)		 Blackwood Little Theatre
(Last Tango in Blackwood by David Tristram)		 Taliesin Arts Centre, Swansea University Swansea, Wales Chris Jaeger GoDA
2007  ENG Total Arts Community Theatre Total Arts Community Theatre
(Find Me by Olwen Wymark)		 Theatre 3, Newtownabbey
(The Dumb Waiter by Harold Pinter)		 Wick Players
(The Pushcart Peddlers by Murray Schisgal)		 The Players Theatre (Gelligaer)
(The Bridge by Gabe Torrens)		 Solihull Arts Complex, Solihull Birmingham, England Scott Marshall GODA
2006 NIR Holywood Players St. Ursula Players
(Me and My Friend (Act 1) by Gillian Plowman)		 Holywood Players
(The Invisible Man by Jennifer Johnston)		 Kirkintilloch Players
(Shakers Re-Stirred by John Godber & Jane Thornton)		 Phoenix Theatre Company
(Mediocrity by Anton Robert Krueger)		 Perth Theatre, Perth Perth, Scotland Brian Marjoribanks
2005  ENG Another Theatre Company Another Theatre Company
(After Liverpool by James Saunders)
( )		 Kirkton Players
(Plaza Suite [Act III] by Neil Simon)		 Tenby Players
(Interior Designs )		 Riverside Theatre, Coleraine Coleraine, Northern Ireland Michael O'Hara
2004  ENG The Young Theatre (at Beaconsfield) The Young Theatre (at Beaconsfield)
(Ball Boys by David Edgar)		 Theatre 3, Newtownabbey
(Elegy for a Lady by Arthur Miller)		 Tryst Theatre
(Travels with my Aunt by Graham Greene)		 New Tabernacle Players
(Asylum by Alex Baum)		 Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Aberystwyth, Wales Chris Yeager
2003  SCO Kirkton Players St. Austell Players
(On the Road Again by Lawrence Allan)		 Theatre 3, Newtownabbey
(The Rats )		 Kirkton Players
(The Steamie abridged version by Tony Roper)		 Players Anonymous
(The Bespoke Overcoat )		 Gaiety Theatre, Douglas, Isle of Man
2002  SCO Kirkton Players Runnymede Drama Group
(Bed by Jim Cartwright )
( )		 Kirkton Players
('Bouncers' abridged version by John Godber)		 New Tabernacle Players
(The Train )		 Eden Court Theatre Inverness Richard Wilson
2001  SCO Wick Players Riverside Players
(The Art of Remembering by Adina L Ruskin)		 Bangor Drama Club
(Say Something Happened by Alan Bennett)		 Wick Players
(A Bench at the Edge by Luigi Jannuzi)		 Car Boot Theatre Company
(Extraordinary Revelations of Orca )		 , Belfast Billy Burns MBE, BA (GODA)
2000  ENG Runnymede Drama Group Runnymede Drama Group
(Lear's Daughters by Elaine Feinstein and The Woman's Theatre Company)
( )		 Kirkton Players
(Laundry and Bourbon by James McLure)		 Players Theatre
(Return Journey )		 North Wales Theatre, Llandudno Llandudno, Wales Irene Rostron
1999  SCO Kirkton Players Total Arts Community Theatre Co.
( )
( )		 Kirkton Players
(The Dumb Waiter by Harold Pinter)		 Phoenix Theatre Company
(Blah Blah Blah )		 , ,
1998  SCO Wick Players Pump House Theatre Company
( )
( )		 Wick Players
(Lone Star by James McLure)		 Phoenix Theatre Company
(The Donahue Sisters )		 , ,
1997  SCO Kirkintilloch Players Broseley Amateur Dramatic Society
( )
( )		 Kirkintilloch Players
(The Dancing Fusilier (Original Play) by Mike Tibbetts)		 Phoenix Theatre Company
(Low Comedy Woman )		 Northern Ireland ,
1996  ENG Barn Theatre Club, Welwyn Garden City Barn Theatre Club, Welwyn Garden City
(Plaza Suite [Act III] by Neil Simon)
( )		 Stromness Drama Club
(The Measures Taken by Brecht)		 Telstars Theatre Company
(Albert )		 , ,
1995  ENG Dewsbury Arts Group Dewsbury Arts Group
(The Last Yankee by Arthur Miller)
( )		 Tryst Theatre
(September in the Rain by John Godber)		 Telstars Theatre Company
(A New Interest In Life )		 , ,
1994  ENG Reigate Amateur Theatrical Society Reigate Amateur Theatrical Society
(Ball Boys by David Edgar)
( )		 Lochcarron ADS
(From Here to the Library by Jimmie Chinn)		 Players Anonymous
(Count Albany )		 Arts Guild Theatre Greenock, Scotland
1993  SCO Dunaverty Players Runnymede Drama Group
(Fragments by Murray Schisgal)
( )		 Dunaverty Players
(A Slight Ache by Harold Pinter)		 Castaway, Aberystwyth
(Three More Sleepless Nights )		 Ardhowen Theatre, Enniskillen, Northern Ireland Roma Tomelty
1992  WAL Castaway, Aberystwyth Dewsbury Arts Theatre
( )
( )		 George Square Players
(The Donahue Sisters by Geraldine Aron)		 Castaway, Aberystwyth
(After Liverpool by James Saunders)		 , ,
1991 NIR Bangor Drama Club Players Theatre, Skelmersdale
( )		 Bangor Drama Club
(The Donahue Sisters by Geraldine Aron)		 Tryst Theatre
(Teechers by John Godber)		 Castaway, Aberystwyth
(The Maids by Jean Genet)		 , ,
1990  ENG The Headley Players, Bristol The Headley Players, Bristol
(Bouncers by John Godber)
( )		 Old Grammarians ADS
(Kissed with a Loving Seal by Eric Paice)
( )		 , ,
1989  ENG East Essex Players, Southend on Sea East Essex Players, Southend on Sea
(Day of the Dog by Graham Swannell)
( )		 Crossmichael Drama Club
(Can You Hear the Music by David Campton)
( )		 , ,
1988  SCO Old Grammarians ADS Players Theatre, Skelmersdale
( )
( )		 Old Grammarians ADS
(The Birthday Party by Harold Pinter)
( )		 , ,
1987  ENG Heath Players, Box Hill, Surrey Heath Players, Box Hill, Surrey
(Private Lives [Act II] by Noël Coward)
( )		 Tryst Theatre
(Childhood )
( )		 , ,
1986  WAL Players Theatre, Rhondda Headley Players, Bristol
( )
( )		 Lochcarron ADS
(Once Upon a Seashore )		 Players Theatre, Rhondda
(The Forced Marriage by Molière)		 , ,
1985  ENG Riverside Players, Heswall Riverside Players, Heswall
(Skirmishes by Catherine Hayes)
( )		 Falkirk Players
(The American Dream by Edward Albee)		 Parc and Dare Theatre Company
(One O'clock From the House )		 , ,
1984 NIR Bangor Drama Club Barn Theatre Club, Welwyn Garden City
( )
( )		 Liberton Kirk Drama Group
(Rise and Shine by Elda Magill Cadogan)		 Bangor Drama Club
(Winners by Brian Friel)Note 1		 , ,
1983  ENG Bournemouth Little Theatre club Bournemouth Little Theatre club
(Little Eyolf by Henrik Ibsen)
( )		 Eastwood Entertainers
(The Mayor of Torontal by Gwenyth Jones)
( )		 , ,
1982  WAL Players Theatre, Rhondda Barn Theatre Club, Welwyn Garden City
( )
( )		 Tryst Theatre
(The Scheming Lieutenant by Richard Brinsley Sheridan)		 Players Theatre, Rhondda
(Sganarelle by Molière)		 , ,
1981  ENG Harodian Theatre, London Harodian Theatre, London
(Playing With Fire by Barbara Field)
( )		 Eastwood Entertainers
(The Fish )		 Berwyn Amateur Theatre Club
(A Night Out )		 , ,
1980  SCO Old Grammarians ADS Maidenhead Players
( )
( )		 Old Grammarians ADS
(The Brute by Anton Chekhov)		 Ynysybwl Theatre Group
(The Real Inspector Hound )		 , ,
1979  SCO Tryst Theatre Barn Theatre Club, Welwyn Garden City
( )
( )		 Tryst Theatre
(Equus [Act I] by Peter Shaffer)		 Ynysybwl Theatre Group
(Visitor From Forest Hills )		 , ,
1978  ENG Extension Theatre Company Extension Theatre Company
(Lessons To Be Learned by Dave Lodge)
( )		 George Square Players
(The Orchestra )		 Players Theatre
(See You Tomorrow )		 , ,
1977  WAL Players Theatre, Rhondda Riverside Players, Heswall
( )
( )		 Broadford Drama Group
(A Respectable Wedding by Bertolt Brecht)		 Players Theatre, Rhondda
(After I'm Gone by Frank Vickery)		 , ,
1976 NIR Slemish Players, Ballymena St Ursula Players, Bristol
( )		 Slemish Players, Ballymena
(No Why by Unknown)		 Thurso Players
(The Lady Aoi by Yukio Mishima)
( )		 , ,
1975  ENG Maidenhead Players [Christian Council] Maidenhead Players [Christian Council]
(Was He Anyone by N. F. Simpson)
( )		 Dunaverty Players
(Rise and Shine by Elda Magill Cadogan)
( )		 , ,
1974 NIR Clarence Players, Belfast Maidenhead Players
( )		 Clarence Players, Belfast
(Doreen by Unknown)		 Larbert High School F P D S
(One Season's King by George MacEwan Green)
( )		 , ,
1973  ENG Claverley ? Claverley Theatre Club
(The Miracle Worker by William Gibson)
( )		 George Square Players
(Barnstable )
( )		 , ,
1972  ENG Wye Players, Hereford Wye Players, Hereford
(Trevor by Unknown)
( )		 The Florians, Inverness
(Mutatis Mutandis by David Campton)
( )		 , ,
1971  ENG Wye Players, Hereford Wye Players, Hereford
(How's the World Treating You by Roger Milner)
( )		 Old Grammarians ADS
(Hey Johnnie Cope by Jimmy Logan)
( )		 , ,
1970  SCO Greenock Players Whitley Bay Theatre Club
( )
( )		 Greenock Players
(A Shilling For The Beadle by James Scotland)
( )		 , ,
1969  WAL Pontllanfraith W I Sands Players (USA Airforce)
( )
( )		 Troon Players
(Philipp Hotz's Fury by Max Frisch)		 Pontllanfraith W I
(The Nine Fathers by Unknown)		 , ,
1968  SCO Old Grammarians ADS Y.M.C.A. Players, Hereford
( )
( )		 Old Grammarians ADS
(The Proposal by Anton Chekhov)
( )		 , ,
1967  SCO Stirling Amateur Dramatic Society South Norwood A.T.W.G.
( )
( )		 Stirling Amateur Dramatic Society
(The Birthday Party by Harold Pinter)
( )		 , ,
1966  SCO George Square Players Rickmansworth Players
( )
( )		 George Square Players
(The Long Christmas Dinner by Thornton Wilder)
( )		 , ,
1965  SCO Edinburgh Graduate Theatre Stewart & Lloyds A.D.S.
( )
( )		 Edinburgh Graduate Theatre
(Getting and Spending by Michael J. Chepiga)
( )		 , ,
1964  WAL Llynsafaddan Players Harlequins Theatre Co. Carshalton
( )
( )		 Stirling Amateur Drama Club
(Himself When Young )		 Llynsafaddan Players
(They Simply Fade Away by T C Thomas)		 , ,
1963 NIR Belfast Drama Circle Southampton Student Players
( )		 Belfast Drama Circle
(Heaven Is An Island by Unknown)		 Kirkwall Arts Club
(The Long and the Short and the Tall by Willis Hall)
( )		 , ,
1962  SCO Greenock Players Link Players, Manchester
( )
( )		 Greenock Players
(Tail-Piece by Unknown)
( )		 , ,
1961  ENG Oxford House Players Oxford House Players
(God Is My Mountain by Sybil Hollingdrake)
( )		 Riverside Former Pupils D C, Stirling
(What Every Woman Knows - Act I by J.M. Barrie)
( )		 , ,
1960  ENG St Dunstan's Players, Bristol St Dunstan's Players, Bristol
(In the Zone by Eugene O'Neill)
( )		 George Square Players
(The Crucible - Act III by Arthur Miller)
( )		 , ,
1959 NIR Belfast Drama Circle Y.M.C.A. Players, Hereford
( )		 Belfast Drama Circle
(Liberation by Unknown)		 Nairn Drama Club
(Idea for a Play by Richard Tydeman)
( )		 , ,
1958  SCO Edinburgh People's Theatre
( )
( )		 Edinburgh People's Theatre
(Who Loves Moraig [Act I] by Jack Ronder)
( )		 , ,
1957  ENG Grangetown Boys' Club D G, Middlesbrough Grangetown Boys' Club D G, Middlesbrough
(Sordid Story by J.A.S Coppard)
( )		 Greenock Players
(Ae Market Nicht )
( )		 , ,
1956  SCO Greenock Players
( )
( )		 Greenock Players
(The Reve's Tale by Unknown)
( )		 , ,
1955  WAL Llynsafaddan Players
( )
( )		 Huntly Gordon School F P D C
(Still Waters by Delsie Darke)		 Llynsafaddan Players
(Davy Jones Dinner by T.C.Thomas)		 , ,
1954  ENG Octave Theatre Club, Northwood Octave Theatre Club, Northwood
(The Wedding Morning by Arthur Schnitzler)
( )		 Torch Theatre Club
(A Surgeon for Lucinda by Jimmy Scotland)
( )		 , ,
1953  SCO Barrhead Players' Club
( )
( )		 Barrhead Players' Club
(The Masterfu' Wife by Agnes Adam)
( )		 , ,
1952  ENG Sutton Amateur Dramatic Club Sutton Amateur Dramatic Club
(The Heiress [Act II] by Augustus Goetz & Ruth Goetz)
( )		 Glasgow Jewish Institute Players
(Lucrezia Borgia's Little Party by A J Talbot)
( )		 , ,
1951  SCO Barrhead Players' Club
( )
( )		 Barrhead Players' Club
(Displaced Persons by Elizabeth Milne)
( )		 , ,
1950  ENG West Hertfordshire Players' Club West Hertfordshire Players' Club
(The Proposal by Anton Chekhov)
( )		 Paisley Old Grammarians A D S
(The Changeling by Thomas Middleton and William Rowley)
( )		 , ,
1949  ENG Birmingham International Centre Birmingham International Centre
(Pullman Car Hiawatha by Thornton Wilder)
( )		 Paisley St John's Church Dramatic Club
(Wind Along the Waste by Thomas Maclachlan Watson)
( )		 , ,
1948  WAL Little Theatre, Aberdare
( )
( )		 Barrhead Players' Club
(A Bit of Land by Agnes Adam)		 Little Theatre, Aberdare
(Birds of a Feather by Thomas Doran)		 , ,
1947  WAL Newport Civil Defence Dramatic Society
( )
( )		 Torch Theatre Club
(Possession )		 Newport Civil Defence Dramatic Society
(Jephthah's Daughter by Elma Levinger)		 , ,
1940 to 1946 Break of 7 years for the duration of World War II
1939  ENG Unity Theatre Club, London Unity Theatre Club, London
(Plant in the Sun by Ben Bengal)
( )		 Stirling Amateur Dramatic Club
(Shells )
( )		 , ,
1938  ENG Midland Bank Dramatic Society, London Midland Bank Dramatic Society, London
(Count Albany by Donald Carswell)
( )		 Ardeer Recreation Club Drama Section
(In The Zone by Eugene O'Neill)
( )		 , ,
1937  ENG Newcastle Central Y W C A Drama Club Newcastle Central Y W C A Drama Club
(The Willing Spirit by Unknown)
( )		 Newbattle Burns Club Dramatic Society
(Hewers of Coal by Joe Corrie)
( )		 , ,
1936  ENG Guild of Abbey Players, Abingdon Guild of Abbey Players, Abingdon
(The Spartan Girls by Unknown)
( )		 Forfar Dramatic Society
(The Dreamer )
( )		 , ,
1935  ENG Welwyn Thalians Welwyn Thalians
(Not This Man by Unknown)
( )		 Edinburgh Elocution Club
(Martha )
( )		 , ,
1934  SCO Barr & Stroud Dramatic Society, Glasgow
( )
( )		 Barr & Stroud Dramatic Society, Glasgow
(What Every Woman Knows [Act I] by J.M. Barrie)
( )		 , ,
1933  ENG Birkenhead Institute Old Boys Drama Society Birkenhead Institute Old Boys Drama Society
(The Road of Poplars by Vernon Sylvaine)
( )		 Golspie Women's Rural Institute
(Glensheugh by Joe Corrie)
( )		 , ,
1932  ENG The Players' Club, Beaconsfield The Players' Club, Beaconsfield
(On the High Road by Anton Chekhov)
( )		 Edinburgh Women's Athletic Club
(Symphony in Illusion by James Wallace Bell)
( )		 , ,
1931  SCO Falkirk High School F P D C
( )
( )		 Falkirk High School F P D C
(Ardvorlich's Wife by Gordon Bottomley)
( )		 , ,
1930  ENG Hampstead Play & Pageant Union Hampstead Play & Pageant Union
(The Man Who Wouldn't Go To Heaven by F. Sladen-Smith)
( )		 Falkirk High School F P D C
(Singing Sands )
( )		 , ,
1929  ENG Liverpool Playgoers Liverpool Playgoers
(The Devil Among the Skins by Ernest Goodwin)
( )		 Edinburgh Elocution Club
(The Wooin' O't by W.D. Cocker)
( )		 , ,
1928  SCO Ardrossan & Saltcoats Players
( )
( )		 Ardrossan & Saltcoats Players
(The Old Lady Shows her Medals by J.M. Barrie)
( )		 , ,
1927  ENG Welwyn Garden City Society Welwyn Garden City Society
(Mr Sampson by John Sherman)
( )		 Blaigowrie & Rattray A O D S
(Campbell of Kilmhor by J.A. Ferguson)
( )		 , ,

References
  1. Commissioning new work–A good practice guide for amateur theatre companies and playwrights - The Arts Council England Archived 2009-01-14 at the Wayback Machine
  2. SCDA One Act Festival 2009 Results
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