Skip to main content
National Student Drama Festival Logo National Student Drama Festival
Donate
What's On
What We Do
What We Do
What is NSDF all about?
Our Yearly Festival NSDF CREATES The Bigger Room Project
Taking Part in the Festival
Taking Part in the Festival
How do I take part in NSDF?
How to Enter a Show Joining the Festival Team Write for Noises Off
Support Us
Support Us
How can you support NSDF's work?
Our Supporters Make a Donation Leave a Legacy Alumni Supporters Scheme
Our Story
Our Story
Find out more about the 65 year old Festival.
Our Mission Our History Our Principles Our People Our Alumni
The Fourth Wall
The Fourth Wall
Read articles from Noises Off, our Festival Magazine, and catch the latest from Team NSDF at Blogs & News
Blogs & News Noises Off
Noises Off Article

In memory of Stephen

Published on
14th April 2019

Pat Wolfe commemorates the life of Stephen Jeffreys, NSDF selector and Noises Off editor

Share this article

Stephen Jeffreys was an eminent and influential playwright who died of a brain tumour in September 2018. He was editor of Noises Off and a literary associate at the Royal Court Theatre for ten years where he nurtured the talent of many young writers.

Stephen first popped up at the festival when it was in Southampton in 1971. He quickly resurrected the daily festival newspaper Noises Off, which had been dormant for some time. It was merely one sheet of A4 paper but was full of incisive comment and, memorably, packed with humour. Under his leadership it started to metamorphose into the more professionally produced paper we have now – but he never forgot the all important jokes.

From then on Stephen continued to be an influential presence at NSDF but his own play, Like Dolls or Angels, about stunt performers, did not appear until NSDF ‘77, held in St Andrews, where it won the hastily invented Best New Play award. The two student actors served the play perfectly but were replaced by professionals when it went on to be successfully produced at the King’s Head Theatre in Islington.

Stephen became one of the festival’s most valued friends. Over the years he served his time as selector, workshop leader, judge, Noff editor, board member and one of the writers of the Festival’s history, Raw Talent. Much of the festival’s development and success can undoubtedly be attributed to Stephen. His vision, wisdom, wit, laughter and ability to calm sometimes tempestuous situations were all pervasive in making NSDF what it is today.

Many of today’s established writers owe a debt to the totally unselfish support he gave them in their early days. Those of us who like to think of ourselves as his friends miss him hugely.

Stephen Jeffreys, 22 April 1950 – 17 September 2018

Latest from Noises Off

Latest from Noises Off

See all
NSDF 2020

A timely pause

14th April 2020

We don't need to fill the theatre void with recordings – we need to take time to grieve, says Liam Rees.

Find out more
NSDF 2020

Technical Talk

13th April 2020

Marina Johnson finds out about life as a theatre technician.

Find out more
NSDF 2020

Voices heard

11th April 2020

Shanaé Chisholm reflects on Winsome Pinnock's workshop about writing trauma.

Find out more

Sign-up to our newsletter

Sign-up for our newsletter
Follow us
Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube
Contact Us Coming to the Festival Frequently Asked Questions Festival Awards Young Person Protection Policy Website Accessibility Privacy Policy
© National Student Drama Festival Made by Grandad
Sign-up to our newsletter

Sign up to our newsletter to stay up to date on all our upcoming events, information and news. Read our Privacy Policy to learn more about how we process your data.