The Running Order
Here’s what happened and when at the 2025 National Drama Festival at ARTRIX Bromsgrove.
The Running Order included the Plays, Studio Spotlights and Feedback Forums.
Just click on the various links to get to the detail.
Studio Spotlights and Feedback Forums are included in the ticket price
Simply purchase a ticket for at least one of the Play Sessions (£15 per session or £60 for all 6) and come along to all of the other activities taking place, including any Studio Spotlights and Feedback Forums.
Thursday 31st July
PLAY SESSION
7.00pm – 9.45pm (approx finishing time)
12hr Life by Robert Scott
One-act play performed by Woodhouse Players, East London, England
Winner of the WALTHAM FOREST FESTIVAL OF THEATRE
Read the play description
Goodbye Charles by Gabriel Benjamin Davis
One-act play performed by Banbury Cross Players, Banbury, England
Winner of the LIGHTHORNE FESTIVAL
Read the play description
An authorised adaptation of Warmind by Howard Brenton, taken from his ‘Plays for the Poor Theatre’ and ‘Hitler Dances’
One-act play performed by Whole Hog Productions, Lincolnshire, England
Runner up in the AETF CENTRAL AREA QUARTER AND SEMI FINAL
Read the play description
Each play was followed immediately by a 10 minute public assessment (by GoDA Adjudicator, Tristan Marshall)
Friday 1st August
10.00am – 11.00am
FEEDBACK FORUM (in the Studio)
We’re all invited to get together with Tristan Marshall and the groups who performed the day before. We’ll have a free-flowing but monitored discussion to explore exactly what worked and what didn’t,using real-life examples from the performances.11.30am – 12.45pm
STUDIO SPOTLIGHT (in the Studio)
‘Explore puppetry, shadow play and live projection techniques for your productions’
with Strange Futures Theatre Company
Read the full description
PLAY SESSION 2.00pm – 4.30pm (approx finishing time)
Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons by Sam Steiner
One-act play performed by Nantwich Players, Nantwich, England
Winner of the BRITISH FINAL, the ENGLISH FINAL, AETF NORTHERN AREA SEMI, the CHESHIRE DRAMA FESTIVAL and the LEVERHULME FESTIVAL
Read the play description
Kin by Max Dickins
One-act play performed by The Guernsey Amateur Dramatic and Operatic Club (GADOC), Guernsey. The Channel Islands
Winner of the GUERNSEY DRAMA FESTIVAL
Read the play description
Each play was followed immediately by a 10 minute public assessment (by GoDA Adjudicator, Tristan Marshall)
4.45pm – 5.45pm
STUDIO SPOTLIGHT (in the Studio)
‘Bring your play to life during the rehearsal process’
with award-winning writer Mark Wheeller and GoDA Adjudicator, Sue Doherty
Read the full description
PLAY SESSION
7.00pm – 9.45pm (approx finishing time)
I’m Home by Denis Burke
One-act play performed by Downstage Left from Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Winner of FEATS (Festival of European Anglophone Theatrical Societies)
Read the play description
Educating Rita (scenes 1,2 and 3) by Willy Russell
One-act play performed by The Conquest Theatre, Bromyard, England
Winner of the HEREFORD DRAMA FESTIVAL
Read the play description
Storytelling by Oliver Emanuel
One-act play performed by Bon Accord Players, Aberdeen, Scotland
Winner of the SCOTTISH FINAL and the SCDA NORTHERN DIVISION
Read the play description
Each play was followed immediately by a 10 minute public assessment (by GoDA Adjudicator, Tristan Marshall)
Saturday 2nd August
10.00am – 11.00am
FEEDBACK FORUM (in the Studio)
We’re all invited to get together with Tristan Marshall and the groups who performed the day before. We’ll have a free-flowing but monitored discussion to explore exactly what worked and what didn’t,using real-life examples from the performances.11.30am – 12.30pm
STUDIO SPOTLIGHT (in the Studio)
‘Build a successful play writing and performing community’
with Sharon Colpman (Co-founder Make It Write Productions)Read the full description
PLAY SESSION 2.00pm – 4.30pm (approx finishing time)
Reckoning by Kathy Mead
One-act play performed by Back to Front Theatre from Woking, England
Winner of the HENLEY FESTIVAL and second place at the MAIDENHEAD FESTIVAL
Read the play description
Extracts from ‘Modest’ by Ellen Brammer
One-act play performed by Total Arts and Community Theatre (TACT), Tamworth, England
Winner of the AETF CENTRAL AREA SEMI FINAL, the AETF CENTRAL DISTRICT QUARTER FINAL, the HASTILOW FESTIVAL, the BFAME FESTIVAL and Runner up at the ALL ENGLAND FINAL
Read the play description
Each play was followed immediately by a 10 minute public assessment (by GoDA Adjudicator, Tristan Marshall)
4.45pm – 5.30pm
STUDIO SPOTLIGHT (in the Studio)
‘How to have a successful festival journey’
with Pete Heppelthwaite (CEO of Limitless Academy of Performing Arts)Read the full description
PLAY SESSION
7.00pm – 9.15pm (approx finishing time)
Something In The Basement by Don Nigro
One-act play performed by Fintry Amateur Dramatic Society (FADS) from Fintry, Scotland
Winner of the SCDA EASTERN DIVISION and SCDA Finalist
Read the play description
Songkeeper by Jamie Lakritz
One-act play performed by Brightlight Theatre Company, Frimley, England
Winner of the WOKING DRAMA FESTIVAL
Read the play description
Each play was followed immediately by a 10 minute public assessment (by GoDA Adjudicator, Tristan Marshall)
Let’s Celebrate!
With the one-act competition over, the teams could relax!
They joined us in the bar after the last play on Saturday evening for a glass of something bubbly to celebrate another fantastic year of excellent amateur theatre.
Sunday 3rd August
10.00am – 11.00am
FEEDBACK FORUM (in the Studio)
We’re all invited to get together with Tristan Marshall and the groups who performed the day before. We’ll have a free-flowing but monitored discussion to explore exactly what worked and what didn’t,using real-life examples from the performances.11.30am – 12.15pm
STUDIO SPOTLIGHT (in the Studio)
‘From Page to Stage to Publishing’
with Bev Clark (prolific one-act play writer and Adjudicator)
Read the full description
12.15am – 1.15pm
STUDIO SPOTLIGHT (in the Studio)
A Studio performance of ‘Shelter’ by Jenny Derbyshire – the winner of the 2014/15 Derek Jacobi Playwriting Award (Isle of Man Festival)
with Bev Clark, Sue Doherty and Goodbye Piccadilly Productions.Read the full description
PLAY SESSION 2.00pm – 4.20pm (with a 20 minute interval)
Holding The Man adapted by Tommy Murphy, based on the book by Timothy Conigrave
Full-length play performed by Garden Suberb Theatre, North London, England
Winner of the ISLE OF MAN FULL-LENGTH PLAY FESTIVAL
Read the play description and please note the play contains sexual scenes
Please note: ‘Holding The Man’ is eligible for most of the awards but not all, We’ve included it because it’s an outstanding production and won the Isle of Man Play Festival (Full Length section). It’s a great way to round of the Festival … and is just before the awards are announced.