National Festival of Community Theatre
# National Festival of Community Theatre

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:

* All-England Theatre Festival (AETF)
* Association of Ulster Drama Festivals (AUDF)
* Association of Wales (DAW)
* Scottish Community Drama Association (SCDA)

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.

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.

## 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.

* 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 | Participants | Participants | Participants | Venue | Location | Adjudicator |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Year | Nat | Winners | . | . | . | England | Venue | Location | Adjudicator | Northern Ireland | Scotland | Wales |
| 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 | 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) | , | , | |
| 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) | ( ) | , | , | |
