2027 FESTIVAL DATES
Next year's festival will once again be staged at Ledbury's Market Theatre. The not-to-be-forgotten dates are 18-20 March. Full details are available from festival chair, David Newton - contact him on danban1@btinternet.com
SIX OF THE BEST
The 2026 festival was a phenomenal success, with six superb productions that set an extraordinarily high standard and a benchmark for the future. Once again the festival was staged at the Market Theatre in Ledbury. Based on the findings of the adjudicator from the Guild of Drama Adjudicators, the results were as follows:
First place and the David Garrick Cup - Ledbury Amateur Dramatic Society (LADS) - The Ballad of Maria Marten (Act 1).
Second place and the Runners Up Cup - Norbury Players - Lockdown In Little Grimley
Third place and the Wye Cup - Conquest Youth Theatre - Invacuation Intervention
Champagne Award at the adjudicator's discretion for a magical moment of live theatre - Wellington Heath Amateur Dramatic Society (WHADS) - Pearly Gates - for the final moment of the play
Hereford Players' Janis Lewer Trophy for a special moment in a youth production - Conquest Youth Theatre - Invacuation Intervention - for when the pupils came together emotionally
The Alex Evans Award for Best Individual Youth Performance - Reka Csullog as Natalie - Conquest Theatre - Invacuation Intervention
Stennett Trophy for Best Youth Team - Conquest Youth Theatre - Invacuation Intervention
Andrews Shield for Best Original Play - Mark A Stubbs for Invacuation Intervention - Conquest Youth Theatre
Thinghill Trophy for Best Actress - Mary Field as Margaret - Norbury Players - Lockdown in Little Grimley
Belmont Trophy for Best Actor - Craig Grewcock as Ron - Ledbury Amateur Dramatic Society (LADS) - Park Lane
Kathleen Dade Memorial Trophy awarded at the adjudicator's discretion - the Ledbury Market Theatre's superb technical, front-of-house, and bar staff
Bishop Hudson Plate for Best Stage Setting - Shirley Lewis - Ledbury Amateur Dramatic Society (LADS) - The Ballad of Maria Marten (Act 1)
Bill Aston Cup for Best Director - Jenni Sinclair - Norbury Players - Lockdown in Little Grimley
Oswin Cup - Novice Award - Exit Fool Productions - A Coda to the Last Waltz of Richard Rourke
The first- and second-placed productions are going through to the next round of the All-England Theatre Festival at The Conquest Theatre in Bromyard on Sunday 26 April.
DRAMA EXTRAVAGANZA!
The 2026 festival is shaping up to be a feast of drama, with six top-notch productions scheduled to be staged at Ledbury's always-excellent Market Theatre. The not-to-be-missed event kicks off on Friday 20 March at 7.00pm with 'Pearly Gates' by Pippa Henry presented by the Wellington Heath Amateur Dramatic Society (WHADS) followed by 'Park Lane' by Richard Pett from the Ledbury Amateur Dramatic Society (LADS). The Saturday 21 March afternoon session will start at 2.00pm with 'Lockdown in Little Grimley' by David Tristram from the Norbury Players succeeded by 'A Coda To The Last Waltz Of Richard Rourke' by Antony Jenkins from Exit Fool Productions. The evening session at 7.00pm on Saturday will begin with 'Invacuation Intervention' by Mark A Stubbs from Conquest Theatre (Youth) followed by 'The Ballad Of Maria Marten (Act 1) by Beth Flintoff presented by LADS.
Visit the Market Theatre web site for tickets - www.themarkettheatre.com - and don't delay!
DON'T HOLD BACK
Looking to enter a production in the 2026 Hereford County Drama Festival? Then don't delay. Email festival chair David Newton (danban1@btinternet.com) by the end of this month (January 2026). And the festival location and dates? The Market Theatre, Ledbury, 20/21 March.
LOOKING FOR A SCRIPT?
If you're looking for a script for your 2026 festival entry then you could do worse than contact Nick Hern Books. Working in partnership with the National Drama Festivals Association (NDFA) it's selected dozens of plays you might be interested in looking at. It's offering discounts on scripts, free deliveries of scripts, and one-to-one support during the selection process. It's even written an article on the NDFA website about how to request and negotiate cuts to plays. For more details visit www.ndfa.co.uk
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
We'll be holding our annual general meeting at the always-excellent Market Theatre in Ledbury on Monday 27 October at 7.00pm. Everyone is welcome, especially if you've got some ideas for productions for the 2026 festival. If you need any advice, then we'll be glad to help.
CONQUEST SUCCESS
2025 festival winner The Conquest Theatre has been chosen to participate in the 2025 National Drama Festival (Artrix Theatre, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, July 31-August 3) with its production of excerpts from Willy Russell's comedy 'Educating Rita'. Well done guys, and good luck!
2026 FESTIVAL
Next year's Hereford County Drama Festival will be staged at the always-supportive Market Theatre in Ledbury on Thursday 19 through to Saturday 21 March. Technical preview will be on Saturday 28 February.
PRAISEWORTHY PERFORMANCE
2025 festival winner The Conquest Theatre turned in a hugely-impressive performance at the Western Division Quarter-Final of the All-England Theatre Festival. It scored a highly-creditable third place which means it will not progress to the next round, alas - despite a superb production. Congratulations are nevertheless due to all concerned.
ON THEIR WAY
We're delighted to report that 2025 festival winner The Conquest Theatre is heading for the Western Division Quarter-Final of the All-England Theatre Festival with its rendition of scenes from Willy Russell's uproariously-funny comedy 'Educating Rita'. The quarter-final will be staged at Highbury Theatre Centre, Sutton Coldfield on Saturday 3 May.
FESTIVAL SUCCESS
Though smaller than festivals held in previous years, the 2025 Hereford County Drama Festival turned out to be remarkably successful, with uproariously-funny comedy balanced with heart-rending tragedy. The results were as follows:
First place and the David Garrick Cup - The Conquest Theatre - Educating Rita
Second place and the Runner's Up Cup - The Norbury Players - White Lies
Third place and the Wye Cup - Malvern Theatres Youth Theatre - Let Him Have It
Champagne Award at the adjudicator's discretion for a magical moment of live theatre - The
Norbury Players - White Lies - for covering their faces at the end with BLANK menus!
Hereford Players' Janis Lewer Trophy for a special moment in a youth production - Malvern
Theatres Youth Theatre Let Him Have It, when six cast members stepped forward after the court scene and spoke beautifully.
The Alex Evans Award for Best Individual Youth Performance - Freya Kettle as Narrator 1 and
Judge Goddard - Malvern Theatres Youth Theatre - Let Him Have It
Stennett Trophy for Best Youth Team - Malvern Theatres Youth Theatre - Let Him Have It
Andrews Shield for Best Original Play - no eligible entry.
Thinghill Trophy for Best Actress - Amanda Vincent-Perkins as Susan 'Rita' White -The Conquest Theatre - Educating Rita
Belmont Trophy for Best Actor - Hugh Farey as Dr Frank Bryant - The Conquest Theatre -
Educating Rita
Kathleen Dade Memorial Trophy at the adjudicator's discretion - Malvern Theatres Youth Theatre
for exemplary cast discipline throughout the festival
Bishop Hudson Plate for Best Stage Setting - Hugh Farey - The Conquest Theatre - Educating Rita
Bill Aston Cup - Best Director - Martin Goddard - The Conquest Theatre - Educating Rita
Oswin Cup - Novice Award - The Conquest Theatre - Educating Rita
Now for 2026!
PRODUCTION DETAILS
The 2025 Hereford County Drama Festival will see Malvern Theatres Youth Theatre present 'Let Him Have It' by Paul King. The Norbury Players from Droitwich will be performing 'White Lies' by Richard James while Bromyard's Conquest Theatre will be presenting Scenes 1, 2 & 3 from 'Educating Rita' by Willy Russell. The festival will be held on Saturday 22 March at 6.30pm at the Market Theatre in Ledbury - the theatre will open at 5.45pm. Tickets are £15 and available at www.themarkettheatre.com or ring 07967 517125.
FESTIVAL DATE
The 2025 Hereford County Drama Festival will be held on Saturday 22 March at 6.30pm at the always-excellent Market Theatre in Ledbury. Tickets are £15 and available at www.themarkettheatre.com or ring 07967 517125. Entrants are Bromyard's Conquest Theatre, Droitwich's Norbury Players and Malvern Theatres Youth Theatre.
FRESH FACES
Hereford County Drama Festival is looking for keen, enthusiastic people with a passion for live drama to join our organising committee. We're a friendly bunch and we can guarantee a warm welcome. If you're interested - and we hope you are - then don't hesitate to email festival chairman David Newton - danban1@btinternet.com. He'd love to hear from you.
ADJUDICATOR ANNOUNCED
We're delighted to reveal that Chris Jaeger MBE will be adjudicator for the 2025 festival. First admitted to the Guild of Drama Adjudicators over 30 years ago, he adjudicated in 2022. Other recent adjudications include the 2023 Ballymoney Theatre Festival. A Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a drama adviser to the Royal Navy, Chris is director of the Worcester Festival. He is a former artistic director of the Worcester Repertory Company and a former director of Worcester's Swan Theatre.
A STAGGERING SUCCESS
Far more successful than anybody expected it to be, the 2024 Hereford County Drama Festival played to a crowded theatre with enthusiastic audiences. The results were as follows:
First place and the David Garrick Cup - 'The Gallery' - Ledbury Amateur Dramatic Society (LADS).
Second place and the runner's up cup - 'Contractions' - Ledbury Amateur Dramatic Society (LADS).
Third place and the Wye Cup - 'The Turnip Winter' - Malvern Theatres Youth Theatre.
Oswin Cup for Best Novice - 'The Turnip Winter' - Malvern Theatres Youth Theatre.
Bill Aston Cup for Best Director - 'The Turnip Winter' - Malvern Theatres Youth Theatre - Katie Balson & Ben Mowbray.
Bishop Hudson Plate for Best Stage Setting - 'The Turnip Winter' - Malvern Theatres Youth Theatre - Shaun Watkins and Kevin Mowbray.
Kathleen Dade Memorial Trophy - 'Replica' - Tribe Theatre - for excellent potential.
Belmont Trophy for Best Actor - Jonathan Stephens as Mike in 'The Gallery' - Ledbury Amateur Dramatics Society (LADS).
Thinghill Trophy for Best Actress - Katisha Harris as Emma in 'Contractions' - Ledbury Amateur Dramatics Society (LADS).
Hereford Players' Janis Lewer Trophy for a special moment in a youth production - 'The Turnip Winter' - Malvern Theatres Youth Theatre - for well-conceived group work.
Andrews Shield for Best Original Play - Pippa Henry - 'The Room' - Wellington Heath Amateur Dramatics Society (WHADS).
Stennett Trophy for Best Youth Team - 'The Turnip Winter' - Malvern Theatres Youth Theatre.
The Alex Evans Award for Best Individual Youth Performance - Bethany Lunney as Heidi in 'The Turnip Winter' - Malvern Theatres Youth Theatre.
Champagne Award for a Magical Moment of Live Theatre - Bernadette Kierney and Ros Adams for their double act in 'The Room' - Wellington Heath Amateur Dramatics Society (WHADS).
'The Gallery' will go on to the Central Area Semi-Final of the All-England Theatre Festival at the Mitchell Arts Centre in Stoke-on-Trent on 4/5 May 2024.
Can't wait to see what the 2025 festival will bring!
SIX OF THE BEST
The 2024 Hereford County Drama Festival will still host six fantastic productions. Unfortunately The Conquest Theatre has decided to withdraw its production at remarkably short notice so there will only be one performance at The Market Theatre in Ledbury on Friday 15 March - the first day of the festival - at 7.15pm. WHADS will be presenting The Room and it'll be well worth seeing. As a result of the Conquest's regrettable decision we've decided to reduce the price of tickets from £10 to £5 for the Friday evening. Anybody who has booked a £10 ticket will be offered a £5 refund on arrival at the theatre. The theatre bar will remain open for a short time after the Friday evening session.
CHANGED START TIME
The 2024 Hereford County Drama Festival will now begin at 7.15pm on Friday 15 March instead of 7.00pm. The changed start time is the result of John Masefield High School having to withdraw its production through no fault of its own thanks to the cancellation of its performance licence at short notice by Concord Theatricals. We extend our sympathy to the John Masefield team and hope JMHS will take part next year.
NOT LONG NOW...
Sad to report that Exit Fool has had to bow out of this year's festival for wholly-understandable personal reasons. We wish them well. But glad to report that this year's event remains packed full of exciting productions ready to be staged at The Market Theatre, Ledbury on 15/16 March. See below for details of how to book tickets.
DON'T FORGET YOUR TICKETS
Tickets for the 2024 Hereford County Drama Festival (15/16 March) are on sale from The Market Theatre, Ledbury, box office (www.themarkettheatre.com). There will be three sessions
7.00pm on Friday 15 March and 2.00pm and 7.00pm on Saturday 16 March. Tickets are £10 a
session. Book now to avoid disappointment!
BACK THE BEST
Looking to support one of the most exciting cultural events to be held in Herefordshire this
year? One that attracts enthusiastic support from all over the county and beyond? Then look
no further. The 2024 Hereford County Drama Festival is seeking sponsorship from individuals
and businesses. If you'd like to get involved then email festival chairman David Newton for full
details - danban1@btinternet.com
NINE IS EVEN BETTER!
With the arrival of Bromyard's Conquest Theatre the 2024 Hereford County Drama Festival
will now play host to a remarkable nine entries. The revised plan is to stage three productions
on the evening of Friday 15 March 2024, three on the afternoon of Saturday 16 March 2024,
and three on the Saturday evening. The festival will be staged at The Market Theatre in
Ledbury. The evening sessions will start at 7.00pm and the afternoon session will start at 2.00pm. Don't miss them!
EIGHT IS GREAT!
The 2024 Hereford County Drama Festival is now up to an astonishing eight entries thanks
to the arrival of Tribe Theatre Company. The plan now is to stage three productions on the evening of Friday 15 March 2024, three on the afternoon of Saturday 16 March 2024, and
two more on the Saturday evening. All the productions will be staged at The Market Theatre in Ledbury and we have the scope to fit in one more. So don't hold back!
THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN!
No fewer than seven entries are promised so far for next year's Hereford County Drama
Festival, to be held once again at The Market Theatre in Ledbury. They include productions
from LADS (Ledbury Amateur Dramatic Society) which is entering two; Exit Fool Productions;
WHADS (Wellington Heath Amateur Dramatic Society); Intermission Theatre Group; John
Masefield High School; and Malvern Theatres Youth Theatre. Two productions will be staged
on the evening of Friday 15 March 2024; three on the afternoon of Saturday 16 March 2024;
and two more on the Saturday evening. And we're keeping the ticket price at £10 a session.
Now that's real value for money!
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
This year's Annual General Meeting of the Hereford County Drama Festival will be held at
The Market Theatre in Ledbury on Wednesday 8 November, 7.00pm for 7.30pm. All are
welcome - and don't forget to bring along any ideas you may have for festival productions!
FESTIVAL PLAY ACHIEVES MORE SUCCESS
Off Centre Theatre has been invited to perform its production of "Beside the Seaside - Beside the Sea" at the National Drama Festival at Coventry's Albany Theatre on Friday
21 July. A major success at this year's Hereford County Drama Festival, Jim Newcomb's play
will once again feature actors Becky Townsend and Joel Daffurn whose marriage collapses
under tragic circumstances.
2024 FESTIVAL DATES
Next year's festival will be held at Ledbury's fabulous Market Theatre on Thursday 14 to Saturday 16 March with a technical preview day on Saturday 24 February. Alan Hayes from
the Guild of Drama Adjudicators will adjudicate.
HEREFORDSHIRE SET TO TRIUMPH AGAIN
Forget Eurovision! Tamworth, Staffordshire will be the place to be on Saturday 13 May to see two superb productions from LADS - Ledbury Amateur Dramatic Society - continue their run of success in the All-England Theatre Festival (AETF). 'Rambles on radio' and
'Kindertransport' will both be staged at the Tamworth Assembly Rooms, venue for the AETF's Central Area Semi-Final. To book tickets visit www.tamworthassemblyrooms.co.uk
QUARTER-FINAL EXCITEMENT
Ledbury Amateur Dramatic Society (LADS) is sending two productions to the Western
Divisional Quarter-Final of the All-England Theatre Festival at the Norbury Theatre in
Droitwich, Worcestershire on Saturday 22 April. 'Kindertransport' will begin the afternoon
session, which starts at 2.00pm, while 'Rambles on radio' will end the evening session,
which starts at 7.00pm. To book tickets visit www.norburytheatre.co.uk or ring the box
office on 01905 770154.
A STUPENDOUS SUCCESS!
Live theatre is back with a vengeance in Herefordshire! That's the key message of 2023's astonishingly successful drama festival.
Ledbury's Market Theatre was packed as audiences saw four remarkable
productions. Independent adjudication determined that Off Centre Theatre's
haunting Beside the seaside, beside the sea was the best of the quartet, and
Off Centre was awarded the prestigious David Garrick Cup.
Second place and the Runners Up Cup went to Ledbury Amateur Dramatic
Society's production of Kindertransport (Act 1) while LADS also scooped the
Wye Cup, with Rambles on Radio in third place.
The Andrews Shield for Best Original Play went to Jim Newcomb, who wrote
Beside the seaside, beside the sea . The Belmont Trophy for Best Actor and the Thinghill Trophy for Best Actress went to Joel Daffurn and Becky Townsend respectively for their performances in the same production.
The Alex Evans Award for Best Youth Performance went to Laura Davies as Eva
in Kindertransport (Act 1) . The Kathleen Dade Memorial Award went to Luke Pickett for the music that accompanied Tribe Theatre's extraordinary and
imaginative presentation of In Obumbratio.
The Bishop's Plate accolade for Best Setting was awarded to LADS for Kindertransport (Act 1) while Jim Newcomb walked away with the Bill Aston Cup
for Best Director. The Oswin Cup for Best Novice was presented to Tribe Theatre.
And the Champagne Award for a magical moment of live theatre? That went to LADS - for a well-aimed (but happily harmless) blow with a frying pan in Rambles on the radio.
RUNNING ORDER
To be held on Saturday 11 March 2023 at Ledbury's Market Theatre, the provisional running order of this year's festival is as follows:
Afternoon at 2.00pm
Ledbury Amateur Dramatic Society - Rambles on radio
Off Centre Theatre - Beside the seaside, beside the sea
Evening at 7.30pm
Ledbury Amateur Dramatic Society - Kindertransport (Act 1)
Tribe Theatre - In Obumbratio
The running order within each session is subject to change.
A DATE FOR YOUR DIARY!
This year's festival will be held on a single day - Saturday March 11 -
at Ledbury's always-welcoming Market Theatre; and we'll be packing a lot in. The afternoon session will start at 2.00pm with the
evening session beginning at 7.30pm. The standard of entries is
excellent as always. Says festival chairman, David Newton: "I'm looking forward to it. It's an event with huge potential." Tickets are
£10 a session and available from the Market Theatre's box office. Visit www.themarkettheatre.com, click on Live Shows and buy them on line. Or ring 07967 517125 and buy them over the phone.
2023 FESTIVAL DEADLINE....
Any drama group or individual who wants to enter a production in
the 2023 festival needs to do so by the end of January. The slots
are starting to fill up now - so don't miss out!
2023 FESTIVAL - IT'S NOT LONG NOW...
Plans are well in hand for the 2023 festival, set to take place at
Ledbury's fantastic Market Theatre on Thursday 9 March to
Saturday 11 March. We'll have a technical preview day at the
theatre on Saturday 18 February. Last year's event was a storming
success, with bigger audiences than expected and leaving the
festival in a healthy financial state. It is clear that there is a huge
appetite for live theatre across the county and it is one we remain
eager to meet. Signs are that 2023's event will be as good if not
even better than 2022's was - so make sure you get involved. If
you are planning to enter a production, then please do so as early as
possible in January.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Our 2022 annual general meeting will take place at The Market
Theatre in Ledbury, 7.00pm for 7.30pm, on Wednesday 9 November.
Everybody is welcome to attend - and we're looking for people who
might like to join the festival committee.
2022 FESTIVAL - ANOTHER TRIUMPH !
The Hereford County Drama Festival has done it again. We're
delighted to report that we're sending two productions to the
semi-final of the western division of the central area of
the All England Theatre Festival at Worcester's Swan Theatre
on 14 May. They are "Persons Unknown" from Hereford's Exit Fool Productions and "Dearly De-Petted" from LADS, the Ledbury Amateur Dramatic Society. The former won the quarter-final at Bromyard's Conquest Theatre on 30 April. The latter was runner-up.
FESTIVAL WILL BE BACK IN 2023
We've already got dates for next year's festival. We'll be back at Ledbury's fabulous Market Theatre on Thursday 9 March to Saturday 11 March, with a technical preview day on Saturday 18 February.
CALLOUT FOR NEW COMMITTEE MEMBERS
The HCDF organising committee is in need of active members. We're looking for somebody to chair the festival and someone else to act as festival secretary.
If you are interested, then why not get in contact? We'd love to hear from you.
HEADS HELD HIGH....
"Dearly De-Petted" from LADS, the Ledbury Amateur Dramatic Society, and "Persons Unknown" from Exit Fool Productions did extraordinarily well in the All- England Theatre Festival's regional semi-final at Worcester's Swan Theatre on Saturday 14 May. Unfortunately neither of them will progress to the final but everybody involved can be hugely proud of what they have achieved says
HCDF chairman, David Newton. "The lowest mark from the adjudicator was
the same as the highest in our festival and our teams were in no way losers," he comments. "The standard was incredibly high." So let's all look forward to 2023...