NSDF09 Ensemble

NSDF09 has responded to the thoughts and ideas of students and this year has come up with an even more exciting plan. Yet again the NSDF Director and the Selectors asked exceptional students from all aspects of theatre to come to the festival (regardless of whether they were in show which has been selected or not) on a discounted ticket and take part in a specially selected programme of workshops, as well as encouraging them to take part in many of the other workshops at the festival.

At NSDF09 the Ensemble workshops focussed around a new commission from celebrated writer Chris Thorpe, who worked with the invited Ensemble students before 14 were finally offered places as part of the 2009 Ensemble.

The Ensemble will gather again at the North Wall, Oxford, from 3rd-11th July 2009. They will work on Chris Thorpe's new play, Touched, and perform at the end of the North Wall Festival to a paying audience. They will be given free accommodation and a contribution towards their travel and will also be given free passes to watch all the other work that takes place as part of the North Wall festival which will include theatre from: Paines Plough and nabokov, as well as music and comedy.

The Ensemble Company will then transfer Touched to the Latitude Festival, giving them a platform at a highly renowned festival of 25,000 people, but will also allow these young practitioners to watch other great pieces of theatre, poetry, comedy and music presented at the festival.

The NSDF09 Ensemble is made possible by the generous support of the Martin Bowley Charitable Trust, the North Wall, Oxford and Festival Republic.

The Ensemble gave me the opportunity to develop and learn new skills with some of the best practitioners in the country. I came back buzzing with ideas as well as a new group of friends all of whom have continued to inspire and excite (Sarah-Jayne Butler, NSDF08 Ensemble)

Click here to read more comments from students who took part in last year's Ensemble.