Geneva English Drama Society

Festival of European Anglophone Theatrical Societties (FEATS)

The Geneva English Drama Society is honored to host FEATS 2011, 10-13 June, Forum Meyrin. GEDS previously hosted FEATS 1999, with sell-out performances attracting many from Geneva as well as from throughout Europe.

What is FEATS?

FEATS is a showcase of English language amateur theatre in Europe. It takes place annually over the four days of Whitsun at a different European city each year. FEATS originated in 1976.

Some 25 continental European Drama Groups are associated with FEATS and invited to attend. Each year 12 of these are selected (on a rotational basis) to perform in the festival.

FEATS has previously been held in Antwerp, Bad Homburg, Brussels, Geneva, Hamburg, Luxembourg, Rotterdam, Stockholm and The Hague. Critics have found FEATS to be among the best organized and highest quality theatre festivals anywhere.

The four-day festival sees 12 groups performing three one-act plays (50-minutes in length) each evening in a spirit of friendly competition. Each evening the professional adjudicator provides a public critique of what he/she has seen and, after the last play of the festival, awards various prizes, including best production, actor, actress, etc. The fun long weekend is complemented by a free Fringe festival, at which smaller productions are performed and theatre workshops are held.

The festival is affiliated to the UK National Drama Festival Association and the winner of FEATS is eligible to be invited to the "UK All Winners" event.

The idea of FEATS isn't simply to watch various groups compete on stage. The FEATS Fringe (which takes place in the theatre during the afternoons) provides an opportunity for other groups to show their originality without the formal constraints of the main festival. There are also workshops and social activities which mean that everyone can be involved in some form of theatrical activity throughout the four days and nights. The festival provides a forum for learning and enables theatre lovers from all over Europe to meet and discuss new ideas. It is a truly international
cultural event.

More information about attending performances and for groups competing in the Festival will be published as it becomes available.