National Student Drama Festival


The National Student Drama Festival was founded in 1956 by the Sunday Times arts columnist Kenneth Pearson, the Sunday Times theatre critic Harold Hobson, and National Union of Students president Frank Copplestone. Pearson became the organisation's first artistic director. Early supporters also included Sunday Times Editor Harry Hodson and Professor Glynne Wickham, a leading pioneer of the academic discipline of drama based at the University of Bristol.
NSDF is an annual festival of theatre from young people across the country. It is for anyone aged between 16 - 25. 14 productions are presented, selected through the year from across the country. There are over 100 workshops, led by practitioners and industry professionals from leading theatre companies, drama schools, and independent artists.
The festival is supported by 60 young people on the technical team, providing hands on experience and training and 30 on the management team, developing skills in producing, venue and FoH management and arts administration.
A daily magazine, Noises Off, written by FestGoers, both online and in print is also a key part of the festival. Late night entertainment, like the Cabaret, parties and a pub quiz. An important part of the festival is providing relaxed social spaces long into the evening, where students can meet and talk with each other and network with the visiting artists and professionals.

Key Figures

Festival Directors

At the end of the festival there is a Closing Ceremony where prizes are presented. Some of which are named after prestigious theatrical institutions or people. For example, the Buzz Goodbody Director Award which was named after the first female director for the RSC, who attended the festival in 1967. Previous winners include Roland Smith, Phil Young, Jane Prowse, Fiona Clift, and Richard Hurst.

2017 Prize Winners

Named Awards
THE BUZZ GOODBODY DIRECTOR AWARD Ellie Gauge
THE STAGE UK DIRECTORS AWARD Josie Davies
THE CAMERON MACKINTOSH AWARD Alex Mackinder
THE SUNDAY TIMES HAROLD HOBSON DRAMA CRITIC AWARD Lily James
THEATRE RECORD CRITICS AWARD Florence Bell
THE SUNDAY TIMES PLAYWRITING AWARD Ben Kulvichit & Clara Potter Sweet
SPOTLIGHT MOST PROMISING ACTOR Harvey Comerford
SPOTLIGHT MOST PROMISING ACTOR Annie Davison
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO THE TECHNICAL TEAM SUPPORTED BY SLX Sam Levy
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO THE TECHNICAL TEAM SUPPORTED BY SLX Sam Costelloe
OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO THE TECHNICAL TEAM SUPPORTED BY SLX Mel Wells
MANAGEMENT TEAM AWARD Chris Bell
CAMDEN PEOPLE’S THEATRE AWARD Josie Davies
SAMUEL FRENCH NEW PLAY AWARD Caitlin McEwan
OBERON BOOKS NEW PLAY AWARD Miriam Schechter
FRECKLE PRODUCTIONS FAMILY SHOW AWARD Emergency Chorus
THE FESTGOERS’ AWARD Celebration
Judges Awards
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DESIGN David Callanan for Nothing Is Coming, The Pixels Are Huge
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC AND COMPOSITION Oscar Lane, Oliver Rudge and the band from O Collective for he she they

2016 Prize Winners

Named Awards
THE BUZZ GOODBODY DIRECTOR AWARD Modupe Salu
THE STAGE UK DIRECTORS AWARD Joe Bunce
THE CAMERON MACKINTOSH AWARD
THE SUNDAY TIMES PLAYWRITING AWARD Joe Bunce
THE SUNDAY TIMES HAROLD HOBSON DRAMA CRITIC AWARD Kate Wyver
SPOTLIGHT MOST PROMISING ACTOR Bróccán Tyzack-Carlin
SPOTLIGHT MOST PROMISING ACTOR Modupe Salu
THE FESTGOERS’ AWARD The Addams Family
MANAGEMENT TEAM AWARD Oscar Owen
Judges' Awards
Acting | Sadie Fitch Kempner for Morticia in The Addams Family
Acting | Becca Jones for Sylv in West
Choreography | Will Emery for The Addams Family
Composition | Matthew Malone for Departures
Contribution to the Festival | Durham University Light Opera Group for Kiss Me Kate and The Addams Family
Creative Collaboration | The Company for Daniel
Design | James Bailey for Departures
Directing and Casting | Josie Davies for Over There
First Time Directing | Jenny Walser for Cock
Judges' Commendations
Acting | Shannon Smith for Mike in West
Acting | Bryony Davies for Karl in Over There
Comedy | Harvey Comerford and Dominic McGovern for the Gangsters in Kiss Me Kate
Composition | Ronan Hatful for Over There
Directing | Elin Schofield for Daniel
Supporting Actor | Jennifer Bullock for Wednesday in The Addams Family
Supporting Actor | James Roscow for Ken and Pat in West
Supporting Actor | Harry Adair for Lurch in The Addams Family and General Harrison in Kiss Me Kate

2015 Prize Winners

Named Awards
THE BUZZ GOODBODY DIRECTOR AWARD Joe Bunce for The Nutcracker
THE DIRECTORS' GUILD AWARD Matt Stevens-Woodhead for The 56
THE CAMERON MACKINTOSH AWARD The Creative Team and Company of The Nutcracker
SPOTLIGHT MOST PROMISING ACTOR Vincenzo Monachello for his performance in Parade
SPOTLIGHT MOST PROMISING ACTOR Dannielle Phillips for her performance in The 56
THE SUNDAY TIMES HAROLD HOBSON DRAMA CRITIC AWARD Eve Allin
THEATRE RECORD CRITICS AWARD Becky Shepherson
THE SUNDAY TIMES PLAYWRITING AWARD Josh Overton for Angry
Outstanding Contribution to the Technical Team supported by Stage Electrics | Jasmin Davies
Outstanding Contribution to Sound supported by Shure and The Association Of Sound Designers | Ali Stringer
Outstanding Contribution to Lighting supported by Ambersphere | Caoimhe Young
Management Award | Aisling Gallagan
The Festgoers Award | The Ritual Slaughter of Gorge Mastromas
Judges’ Awards
Outstanding Performance in a Musical | Georgina Ambrey for The Baker’s Wife in Into The Woods
Musical Direction | Ash Jacobs for Into The Woods
Ensemble | The 56
Theatrical Imagination | The Nutcracker
Choreography | Beth Hinton-Lever for Parade
Judges' Commendations
Acting | Euan Kitson for his performance in Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons
Acting | Miriam Schechter for her performance In The Nutcracker
Playwriting | Sam Steiner for Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons
Musicianship | The Band of Into The Woods
Directing and Producing | Ellie Gauge and Sophie McQuillan for Congestion
Sound and Music Design | James Melling and David Denyer for The Bacchae
Lighting and Design | Aaron Smith for The Dumb Waiter
Mise En Scene | David Johnson-Morgan and India Smith for Wastwater
Contribution to Technical Team | Fiona Porritt and Conor Morris
Contribution to Sound | Olga Kravchenko
Contribution to Lighting | Laura Heinl

2014 Prize Winners

Named Awards
Buzz Goodbody Director Award | Ali Pidsley for Road & Nothing
The Sunday Times Play Writing Award | Lucyna Raczka for Nothing
The Directors’ Guild Award | Genevieve Skehan for Spring Awakening The Musical
Cameron Mackintosh Award | Spring Awakening The Musical
The Sunday Times Harold Hobson Student Drama Critic Award | Billy Barrett
Theatre Record Young Critic’s Award | Georgia Snow and Adam Foster
Spotlight Most Promising Actor Award | Angus Imrie for Brink, Skin-Lad, Blowpipe, Soldier, Barry in Road
Spotlight Most Promising Actress Award | Katherine Thorogood for Stalker in Nothing
Sound Award supported by Sennheiser and The Association of Sound Designers | George Veys
Lighting Award supported by Ambersphere | Ruth Luckins
Technical Achievement Award supported by Stage Electrics | Matthew Norwood
Management Team Award | Alex Williams
Festgoers Award | The Duck Pond
Judges’ Company Awards
Creative Risk | Nothing
Ensemble | Road
Collaborative Creation | The Duck Pond
Judges’ Company Commendation
Ensemble | Punk Rock
Judges’ Individual Awards
Musical Direction | Katy Richardson for Americana
Musical Performance | Verity Blythe for Peaches in Americana
Spirit Of Invention | Tom Coxon for The Duck Pond
Performance | Beth Holmes for Louise, Molly, Mrs Bald and Scotch Girl in Road
Judges’ Individual Commendations
Performance | Barnaby Chambers for Bennett in Punk Rock
Video Design | Stevie Partington for Enron
Writing | Jenna May Hobbs for Your Fragrant Phantom
Musical Performance | Hannah Bloom for Wendla in Spring Awakening
Musical Performance | Laura Johnson for Jackson in Americana