About the All-England Theatre Festival

The All England Theatre Festival organises the only country-wide eliminating contest for one-act plays in performance.

It exists to provide an opportunity for Amateurs to compete throughout England.

Contact is maintained with other leading bodies involved in Amateur Drama thoughout the UK.

It is also involved with the Geoffrey Whitworth Trophy Competition, inconjunction with the other 'Hosts' of the British Festival to judge Original, unpublished Scripts that are first produced within the relevant Festivals.

The organisation of the AETF is in the overall control of the English Committee. This is comprised of representatives from 4 Area Committees, who are responsible for running the Area Finals from which the winners progress to the English Final. Each Area is further divided into currently 13 Divisions and 39 first rounds - all of which has its own Committee. The winner of the English Final represents England at the British Finals, and there is a Rota so that it is held in England once every 4 years.

The organisation is totally independent and voluntary, united in the common purpose of allowing amateurs of any group to compete in a fair way. Taking part should be a social, educating experience which can be shared with an audience - the AETF is an inclusive not an exclusive organisation.

The AETF started life as the British Drama League in 1919 under the motivation of Geoffrey Whitworth and his desire to make "Theatre everybody's business". The early years focused on play writing and this is commemorated today by the Geoffrey Whitworth Trophy, awarded annually for the Best Original One Act Script. In 1926 an offer to take part in the New York Little Theatre Tournament resulted in a selection procedure to decide who should go and this lead to the setting up of an elimination competition in 1927.

The British Drama League later became the British Drama Association, which then progressed to the All-England Theatre Festival.