All About the National Student Drama Festival

In 1956, a group of theatre enthusiasts held a Corporate event and then created one of the most ingenious organisations the UK has seen. It was called the NSDF, (or the National Student Drama Festival). And, it provided a venue through which theatre students would learn and perform.

This continues even today. Once a year, in Scarborough and Yorkshire, students would participate in various productions at the Stephen Joseph Theatre. In between time, they could embark on other activities, such as classes and hands-on workshops. These workshops take the students back to the bare escentuals of what they are doing and what excited them about drama and theatre. Best of all, the excitement would last for a whole week.

Of course, the benefits don’t end there. Since the NSDF is considered a prominent organization, participation in the festival is bound to get a theatre student noticed. That’s why many of the UK’s most prominent theatre personalities have participated in the NSDF at some point of their lives.

With that being said, what are the requirements to participate in the NSDF? Basically, you must be 16 or over taking a college-level drama course. If you meet that requirement, you can participate in the 100+ productions the NSDF creates every year.

However, it should be noted that even if you can’t participate in the NSDF for this year, you should consider giving a donation to the organization. Why? Well, in recent years, the NSDF has had trouble getting funding. They’ve even tried to make an appeal for public funding, but they haven’t been successful enough to end their concerns over money. But if they get more public donations, they won’t have to close their doors due to lack of money.

In conclusion, if you want to have fun while learning more about the theatre, consider making plans to attend the NSDF. It successfully mixes education and entertainment, while forcing drama students to apply their talents. Very few venues offer such an opportunity, so you should definitely take advantage of the NSDF while it’s still around. 

Traces – Theatre show transfers to the London Peacock Theatre

The Edinburgh Fringe Show TRACES has transferred to London, and is already selling out its shows. For anyone who is thinking about seeing it, or infact any physical theatre shows, I have a word of advice to you once you have booked your tickets.

There's a real temptation in this day and age to Google a show before you go and see it. The show producers of course do their best to get loads of vids and pics out there to help publicize it. I have a word of advice.

You are coming to see the show now, you have a ticket, it's all good. Watching the vids on the internet is a bit like watching a film trailer, nothing wrong in that. However, you wouldn't watch the trailer to a film just before watching the actual film, would you? That could potentially ruin some of the good bits as Martin can testify to when watching cats and dogs.

My suggestion to you is to NOT Google this show, before watching it. Internet footage of any live shows will only ever be the equivalent of a bad black and white picture version of the show - because the strength in the show is that it is real and running in front of you fresh and open to the mistakes, mishaps and changes that occur during each show.

If you would like to see Traces, I can highly recommend it. Going against everything I just said, here is a video to tempt you in.... just the one mind.

Free Fringe Benefit Show in London

The Bloomsbury Theatre near Euston in London was home to The Free Fringe Benefit Show this month.

The Free Fringe has been running for nearly 30 years in Edinburgh and is organised by Peter Buckley-Hill. The show is put on by actors and comedians who don’t ‘pay to play’ (other shows in the festival usually charge the actors/producers) and is seen by an audience who doesn’t pay to view either.

Of course, such a show, as with any production, costs money to run. This is why every year since 1996, the benefit show in London raises the money to keep the Free Fringe running in Edinburgh year after year.

And for £20, you’d have gotten a big bang for your buck as the benefit gig was held by eleven stirling comedians who made sure that the show went down a storm.

Compered by the hilarious Daniel Kitson, the show seemed more like ‘An Evening with Kitson and Friends’ as the frantic and stuttering comedian (who looked like he might have had Hair restoration surgery) linked each ten minute act together with what seemed like stunning improvisation. Eyebrows were raised at his brash style, which though at time side splittingly funny, seemed to override the other acts. I always thought a good compere was someone who made the evening run smoothly without hogging the limelight, but this guy just didn’t care! Not that it did the others any serious harm. The audience obviously loved the awkward and strange but irresistible character and he undoubtedly made the night what it was.

Standards were high through out the evening, though the acts that particularly stood out were Milton Jones, Gavin Osborne, Robin Ince, Lucy Porter and Dave Gorman. I particularly liked Gavin Osbourne’s hilarious songs which added a different dimension to the evening. Milton Jones’ random and speedy one liners went down a treat, as did the comic banter between Robin Ince and Kitson.

The headliner Sean Lock wrapped up the comedy show nicely in what proved to be a side splittingly awesome evening.

All About the Brighton Fringe

Nothing quite beats an art festival. Through them you get an opportunity to connect with others while watching a variety of performances. Yet, if you are new to art festivals, you may not know which ones you should attend. Fortunately, if you live in or plan on traveling to England, you can answer this question by checking out the Brighton Fringe, (which is also known as the Brighton Festival Fringe).

One of the many shows at this years festival:

What is the Brighton Fringe? The Brighton Fringe is England’s largest arts festival, and it runs throughout most of May. It is accessible to any member of the public, provided they buy the tickets in time. To do this participants can call or they can visit the website Brightonfestivalfringe.org.uk.

As far as the performances, they are given by artists of all levels. In fact, if you have a talent you could apply to participate in the Brighton Fringe– that’s how open it is. Some performers are professionals while others are just starting out with acting. Either way, when you attend the Brighton Fringe, performers will entertain you at over 230 different venues.

Some of these venues take place in a standard theatre environment, while others take place in more unusual places. For example, in 2007 the Brighton Fringe had a venue at a beach hut. Other years venues took place in people’s homes with art spread all over oak tables and dining room sets or private parks.

There is also a side event associated with the Brighton Fringe called "Fringe City." Originating in 2007, Fringe City gave performers an opportunity to socialize with the audience. The event continues throughout every Saturday in May, making the regular Brighton Fringe even more special.

In conclusion, if you want a different type of cultural thrill, consider attending the Brighton Fringe. It’s relatively inexpensive, yet it offers a wealth of entertainment for those who appreciate the performing arts. 

The Edinburgh Fringe: Celebrating Creativity

If you have any interest in the performing arts, you might want to consider attending the Edinburgh Fringe, (which is also known as the Edinburgh Festival or The Fringe). Held in Scotland’s capital city, the Edinburgh Fringe attracts people all over the globe, as it is considered the world’s largest arts festival.

So, what can a person expect to do at the Edinburgh Fringe? Well, to put it simply, all of the activities within the festival relate to the performing arts, whether it’s drama or comedy. In recent years, the Edinburgh Fringe has put more of a focus on comedy, as more and more mainstream comedians participate in the event. But there’s still enough drama for those used to Fringe’s traditional approach. Through the Fringe, you can enjoy a variety of classical plays, including those created by Shakespeare, Samuel Beckett and ancient Greek society.

There are also contemporary performances held by commercial and non-profit artists. And, in many cases, you won’t be watching these shows in the theater. Instead, you might be using another more unique venue such as a historic castle, a taxicab or even a public restroom. The shows last year included such random show titles as pot noodle the musical and equine insurance! Such zaniness adds to the Fringe’s thrill.

As far as how much it is going to cost, the Edinburgh Fringe is very cheap, even for modest budgets. The dramas only cost 10 pounds while the Comedy show is free. The reason why the comedies are free is because so much money is made off of the food and drink served during the event. The same cannot be said for dramas, unless they are hosted outside of the theater.

In conclusion, if you’re looking for a more unique form of cultural entertainment, consider attending the Edinburgh Fringe. Whether you’re native to the Edinburgh area, or a tourist traveling abroad, the Fringe is definitely an event you must visit at least once in your lifetime.

Performing at the fringe too much?

After 23 days of the festival, someone this morning woke up, and cried. They did not do so out of a great sadness or tragic event, but they shed their tears for fatigue.

Is it really worth it, is the question I ask?

Finding Sponsorship – from an insurance company?

In the run up to the Edinburgh festival, this site will once again become more and more active. Edinburgh is expensive, and the companies who visit rarely make a profit. That is not to say that some people don't make a profit, far from it! Some of the big shows make a real killing at the festival, coming away with large sums of money indeed! However, many of the shows – especially the small shows – go in knowing full well that they will come away several thousand pounds less well off than before. So how can you get around this?

One way is by sponsorship. Gaining sponsorship is a great way to fund your trip. You can advertise them, put their logo on the 10,000 leaflets you print off… it can work out rather well for them! A company I just spoke to is being sponsored by a horse insurance firm. Their show has little to do with horses, or infact anything equine, but it just goes to show that getting money is possible.

The one bit of advice they gave was don't ask for too little. People are more likely if you ask for more money than less, especially the bigger companies.

Good luck!