National Student Drama Festival (NSDF) is a UK based organisation founded in 1956 with the purpose of creating new art, new artists and new communities. It also runs a charity aimed at empowering young artists. The NSDF was originally targeted towards people aged 16–25 years old; in 2021–22, the age bracket was extended to include 26-year olds.
NSDF is a year-round organization whose work peaks at its annual festival, held for one week in one chosen city. A daily magazine, Noises Off, is written by a team of writers and participants at the festival.
History
The NSDF was founded in 1956 by the Sunday Times arts columnist Kenneth Pearson, Sunday Times theatre critic Harold Hobson, and National Union of Students (United Kingdom) president Frank Copplestone. Pearson went on to become the organization's first artistic director. Early supporters also included Sunday Times Editor Harry Hodson and Professor Glynne Wickham, a pioneer of the academic discipline of drama based at the University of Bristol.
Even before 1956, the National Union of Students had organised dramatic festivals, such as in 1947 at Birmingham, but this was the first year that it had been backed by the Sunday Times.
Scottish universities that were a part of the Scottish Union of Students were not allowed to participate until 1962, as universities not affiliated with the National Union of Students were not allowed to participate before that year.
Even after NSDF allowed Scottish universities, the SUS still ran their own Scottish Union of Students National Student Drama Festival from 1963 to 1967.
On its 50th anniversary in 2006, a book was published, called Fifty years of the National Student Drama Festival. It included a full list of shows for those 50 years.
International Student Drama Festival
In 2012, the festival expanded internationally as the International Student Drama Festival (ISDF), bringing student theatre companies from the UK and overseas to Sheffield. The programme included productions from a number of countries, alongside British student companies, and introduced an International Spirit Award intended to recognise collaboration between participants from different nations.
Past NSDF participants include Harold Pinter, Caryl Churchill, Meera Syal, Simon Russell Beale, Ruth Wilson, Marianne Elliott, and Lucy Prebble. Companies with past affiliation with NSDF include Slung Low, Jamie Lloyd Productions, RashDash, Barrel Organ and LUNG Theatre.
NSDF 22 took place from 9–15 April 2022 in Leicester.
NSDF 25 took place from 22–26 April 2025 after a break because of Covid.
Key figures
Festival directors 1971 to 2000 – Clive Wolfe 2001 to 2003 – Nick Stimson 2004 to 2006 – Andrew Loretto 2007 to 2012 – Holly Kendrick 2013 to 2018 – Michael Brazier 2019 – James PhillipsNSDF Team https://www.nsdf.org.uk/about-us/the-team
Noises Off editors 1980 to 1990 – Stephen Jeffreys (latterly in tandem with Nick Phillips) 1991 to 2002 – Ian Shuttleworth 2003 to 2004 – Andrew Haydon and Rachel Smyth 2005 to 2009 – Andrew Haydon 2010 – Phil Mann and Claire Trévien 2011 – Andrew Haydon, Phil Mann and Claire Trévien 2012 – Phil Mann, Andrew Haydon and Claire Trévien 2013 to 2014 – Andrew Haydon 2015 – Jake Orr 2016 to 2017 – Richard Tzanov 2018 – Kate Wyver 2019 – Florence Bell and Naomi Obeng
Notable participants Erica Whyman Rosemary Squire Stephen Fry Abbi Greenland and Helen Goalen (RASHDASDHRASHDASDH) Carrie Cracknell Ruth Wilson Lena Headey Wole Soyinka Sandi Toksvig Caryl Churchill Tim Fountain Nick Hern Biyi Bandele Terry Hands Nona Shepphard (director) Michael Boyd Robin Duval Sam Steiner (playwright) Braham Murray Olivia Vinall (actor) Khalid Abdalla Nikki Amuka-Bird Michael Attenborough Van Badham Patrick Barlow Simon Russell Beale Lorna Bennett Michael Billington David Farr Mark Gatiss Buzz Goodbody Robert Hewison Harold Hobson Angus Imrie Stephen Jeffreys Martin Jenkins (writer) Alex Jennings Daniel Kitson Roger Michell John Nettles Cyril Nri Steve Pemberton Ronald Pickup Tim Pigott-Smith Harold Pinter Pete Postlethwaite Lucy Prebble Mark Ravenhill Jan Sayer Prunella Scales Tim Supple Meera Syal Polly Teale Richard Thomas Glen Walford Timothy West Clive Wolfe Alan Yentob Dmytro Morykit
Prize winners Prizes are presented at the festival's closing ceremony. Some of these are named after prestigious theatrical institutions or people. The Buzz Goodbody Director Award was named after the first female director for the RSC, who attended the festival in 1967. Previous winners include Roland Smith (artistic director of Theatre Delicatessen), Phil Young, Jane Prowse, Fiona Clift and Richard Hurst.
2019 Prize Winners Award Winner Judges' Awards Best Ensemble Quick Duck Theatre (Magic Hour: The Murder Mystery Disco!) Singularity of Vision Will Jackson (Magic Hour: The Murder Mystery Disco!) Acting Maddy Strauss (Rotterdam) Acting Kate O'Gorman (A Girl Is a Half-Formed Thing) Acting John Broadhead (Killology) Company Performance Yen Production Award for Profound Moments Are You Still Watching Achievement in Criticism Emma Rogerson Named Awards Camden People's Theatre Award How to Save a Rock Clive Wolfe Award Carly McIntosh Sunday Times Playwriting Award How to Save a Rock Samuel French New Play Award How to Save a Rock Technical Production Award Tristan Ashley (Killology) Production Award for Exceptional Care Things We Do Not Know Slung Low Management Award Shristi Ray Spotlight Award Grace Gallagher Spotlight Award Oscar Sadler Sunday Times Harold Hobson Drama Critic Award Joseph Weiner The Holbeck Cup Ugly Bucket Buzz Goodbody Award Matt Owen (Yen) Stephen Jeffreys Award Bost-Uni Plues Outstanding Contributions to the Technical Team (with support from SLX and the Association of Sound Designers) Anja Urban Outstanding Contributions to the Technical Team (with support from SLX and the Association of Sound Designers) Joseph Pilling Outstanding Contributions to the Technical Team (with support from SLX and the Association of Sound Designers) Melissa Chan
2017 prize Winners Award Winner Named awards The Buzz Goodbody Director Award Ellie Gauge (Thick Skin) The Stage UK Directors Award Josie Davies (Say It Loud) The Cameron Mackintosh Award Alex Mackinder (Ordinary Days) 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 (Celebration) Spotlight Most Promising Actor Harvey Comerford (Hidden & Thick Skin) Spotlight Most Promising Actor Annie Davison (Swallow) 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 (Thick Skin) Oberon Books New Play Award Miriam Schechter (Blackbird) Freckle Productions Family Show Award Emergency Chorus (Celebration) 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 Award Winner Named awards The Buzz Goodbody Director Award Modupe Salu (I Can't Breathe) The Stage UK Directors Award Joe Bunce (Departures: A Song Cycle) The Cameron Mackintosh Award Departures: A Song Cycle The Sunday Times Playwriting Award Joe Bunce (Departures: A Song Cycle) The Sunday Times Harold Hobson Drama Critic Award Kate Wyver Spotlight Most Promising Actor Bróccán Tyzack-Carlin (The Addams Family) Spotlight Most Promising Actor Modupe Salu (I Can't Breathe) 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 (Footprint Theatre) 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 Award Winner 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 Award Vincenzo Monachello for his performance in Parade Spotlight Most Promising Actor Award 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