The All England Drama Festival, of which the Southend Drama Festival is the first round for our region, is the only nationwide eliminating competition for One Act plays performed by Amateur groups.

The country is divided into areas and divisions and each year groups compete all over the country through Divisional and Area finals, culminating in the English Final.

Teams from all over the British Isles can then go on to the British Final. It enables amateurs to see the work of other groups around the country and benefit from constructive criticism offered by a professional adjudicator.