FAQs
All FEATS adjudicators are theatrical professionals with considerable experience. They are drawn from the members of GODA, the Guild of Drama Adjudicators, membership of which is subject to a selection procedure.
FEATS now uses the NDFA marking system, although in past years there was one addition specific to FEATS. The standard NDFA marking system is:
- 40 points for acting
- 35 points for production
- 15 points for stage presentation
- 10 points for O, E & A (originality, endeavour and achievement)
Total: 100 marks
To these, FEATS has for many years added 10 points for Innovation, making a total of 110 points. From 2009, however, these additional points were dropped.
The National Drama Festivals Association (NDFA) was formed in 1964 to encourage and support amateur theatre in all its forms in the United Kingdom, and in particular through the organisation of drama festivals. Each year, the NDFA organises the National Theatre Festival, to which any group scoring 80 points or more in a qualifying festival (including FEATS) is eligible to be invited.
There are a large number of amateur dramatic festivals in the UK, whereas there is – to the best of our knowledge – only one in English (FEATS) in mainland Europe. It doesn’t seem fair to allow UK groups yet another festival to enter, when groups in mainland Europe don’t have the same reciprocal possibilities, owing to distance and logistical considerations.
However, high-scoring groups in FEATS may be invited to take part in the UK National Drama Festival each year.