1. The festival will consist of one round only. Each of the plays entered will be adjudicated by the same adjudicator, at the competing society’s venue. Only members of the Kent Drama Association (“KDA”) are eligible to enter.

 

2. Entered performances may be between 22nd February (15th February for Youth groups) and 29th May 2027 inclusive, subject to availability of the adjudicator.

 

3. The charges for entering a play in the Festival are an Entry Fee of £35, payable with the application for entry, plus a Ticket Levy of £1 for each member of the audience on the adjudication night.

 

4. The adjudicator’s fee and expenses will be paid by the KDA.

 

5. In the event of a performance being cancelled or withdrawn with less than 28 days’ notice the society will pay any reasonable fee charged by the adjudicator, in addition to the Entry Fee. On earlier withdrawal or cancellation, part of the Entry Fee may be refunded at the discretion of the KDA Committee.

 

6. The Festival is for amateur productions. Societies must inform KDA, before the performance, if the director or any actors or actresses are paid by the society (other than expenses) or are professional – defined for this purpose as someone whose main income is from directing or acting. Up to three marks will be deducted for each professional person, as determined by KDA’s Committee.

 

7. No entry may have a cast of fewer than three, excluding minor roles. Musicals may not be entered - the KDA Committee will determine whether a play with significant musical content, or of an unusual nature, is eligible, usually based on the description of the publisher.

 

8. The play entered must be of at least 90 minutes duration in performance, excluding intervals, as timed by the KDA representative. For this purpose, performances will be timed from either ‘curtain up’, or ‘stage lights up’ on an open set, to ‘curtain down’ or ‘stage lights down’. Plays failing to meet this will be deducted one mark for the first five minutes, two marks for the second five minutes and three marks for the third five minutes.

 

9. Adjudication will be conducted according to GODA guidance, on the following system of marks: Acting 40; Direction 35; Stage Presentation 15; Dramatic Achievement 10. Total 100. THE ADJUDICATOR’S DECISION IS FINAL. The adjudicator will give a full public adjudication to the audience, and will be available for discussion with the cast and production team afterwards. Recording of the adjudication is not allowed, unless the adjudicator agrees.

 

10. Each society must send one copy of its play (in the version to be performed) to the adjudicator as soon as possible.  Failure to do so by four weeks prior to the date of the performance will result in the deduction of five marks from the total awarded by the adjudicator. Societies are expected to comply with reasonable requests from the adjudicator regarding seating arrangements etc, including the provision of an adequate personal light, in line with GODA rules. The representative from KDA should be given a complementary ticket and the opportunity to buy a ticket for a guest.

 

11. Societies are responsible for informing the Adjudicator at their performance of anyone eligible for the restricted awards, as follows:

• Best Young Player – aged 18 or under

• Best New Festival Director – a director who has not previously directed a full-length play in any festival

• Best Debut in a Full Length Play – an actor or actress who has not previously acted in any full-length play (other than in a non-speaking role) [Note – this is any full length play, not just a Festival play.]

 

12. Societies or individuals receiving trophies will be responsible for engraving them as appropriate. All trophies remain the property of the KDA, and must be returned before the next festival’s awards ceremony.

 

13. Variation to these Rules will only be considered in exceptional circumstances and with the agreement of KDA’s Committee.

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Apply to enter the Festival