Bedales success at National Student Drama Festival

Published on isbi School News dated Monday 20th of April 2015

11 students from Bedales Sixth Form attended the Sunday Times National Student Drama Festival (NSDF) in Scarborough in early April.

In addition to enjoying high quality productions and workshops, one of the Bedales students, 17 year old Eve Allin, was awarded the prestigious Sunday Times Harold Hobson Student Drama Critic Award for her excellent reviews of productions, published in the festival magazine, Noises Off.

Phil King, Bedales Head of Drama commented:

'School-age students benefit hugely from seeing live theatre performed by some of the most talented university students in the country, in addition to participating in the daily workshops. Our students were also keen to be involved in the festival publication and I am delighted that Eve Allin's critical and insightful writing was recognised with this national award.'

'It is thanks to government funding and sponsorship from the Sunday Times that the NSDF can exist. It is a proving ground of the next generation of UK talent and a wonderful beating heart of creativity, passion and a place where people that will boost the future cultural productivity of the country gather, learn and leave stronger because of the experience.'

Eve Allin, who is studying A Levels in English Literature, Theatre Studies, History and Art, commented:

'The whole week at NSDF was an amazing experience but my highlight would probably be staying up to write reviews and then going to talk to incredibly talented people about the plays I had just been discussing in my writing. The people I met were some of the most inspiring and interesting people I've ever come across. Seeing 11 plays in one week helped me to both appreciate and critique some of the best student theatre in the country.'

'Progressing to A Level study in the Sixth Form is when my passion for theatre was really ignited: doing the Sixth Form play, seeing other wonderful theatre at school and the people around me - friends, speakers and teachers - have propelled me forward and I am always grateful that I can be constantly inspired by everyone around me.'

Jake Orr, Noises Off editor and artistic director and founder of A Younger Theatre added:

"I have been working with young people developing their critical skills on writing about theatre since 2009 and I have never had the joy to work with such sensitive and intelligent students as those that attended the NSDF from Bedales. It is a rare gift to work with such talented writers and I can only encourage those who attended to return again or to seek out their writing beyond their academic studies."