Then...

 

The London Student Drama Festival was started in 2011. LSDF was performed at various theatres across London including, Theatro Technis, Courtyard Theatre, Pleasance Theatre, and the Duchess Theatre. Artists that were involved in LSDF include Simon Stephens, Rob Icke and Ella Hickson.

 

LSDF was first set up as a ‘competition-style’ drama festival. Each London university would submit a performance which would then be judged by industry panelists. The most promising pieces were taken on to further rounds of the festival.

 

Now...

 

As the years went on LSDF became more about creative development opportunities, a London student drama community, and inter-university collaboration. In 2019, when the festival first took on the name ACT II, these things came to the forefront of our ethos.

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ACT II was founded by UCL students George Jibson and Amy Reade in September 2018. During their role as Festival Directors George and Amy rebranded the London Student Drama Festival to ACT II.​

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In September 2019, UCL student Amy Tickner took over the role as Festival Director. She then went on to be Artistic Director of ACT II in 2020. Since then Amy has grown ACT II to go beyond just its yearly student festival. ACT II now offers a year round program of training, workshop, performing, and creative opportunities for young, emerging theatre makers in London. ACT II now has numerous industry connections and professional partnerships that are regularly drawn upon to support the young people that join the ACT II community.

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