FEATS rules
The rules of competition presented below are derived from the appendix to the memorandum of understanding signed by the members of the FEATS steering committee. As is made clear in Clause 1, the organising committee of each FEATS festival may modify the rules of competition to suit individual circumstances. In particular, the minimum and maximum length of plays may vary. Other statements below may not apply to all competitions.
The rules pertaining to FEATS in any particular year are notified to the competing groups by the organising group in the Data Package (Clause 10 below). The rules reproduced below are not binding in any given FEATS festival and, in particular, may not be cited in opposition to rules published in the Data Package by the organising group.
| Rules of competition | |||
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| 1. | The rules of competition are basic and the Organising Committee shall have the right to add to or amend them. | ||
| 2. | No group shall be permitted to submit more than one competing entry to the same FEATS. | ||
| 3. | Each participating group shall present: | ||
| i. | A complete play, or | ||
| ii. | an extract from a play, provided that this extract shall be understandable to any member of the audience who has not seen the full play, or | ||
| iii. | an alternative form of theatrical performance approved by the Organising Committee. | ||
| 4. | The length of any play shall be not less than twenty (20) minutes or more than fifty-five (55) minutes, which time shall include scene changes during performance but shall exclude the times as specified in Clause 5 below. The Organising Committee can set maximum and/or minimum limits within these parameters. | ||
| 5. | Time allowed for setting up shall be ten (10) minutes and for striking the set at the end of the performance five (5) minutes. The Participant shall start its performance within one (1) minute of the cue from the FEATS Stage Manager to do so. | ||
| 6. | Failure to adhere to the time restrictions stipulated in Clauses 4 and 5 above shall result in the following penalties: | ||
| 6.1. | Exceeding the maximum length of the play as set by the Organising Committee under Clause 4 above: | ||
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| 6.2. | A performance of less than the minimum length of the play as set by the Organising Committee under Clause 4 above or that exceeds the setting up and/or striking time stipulated in Clause 5 above: | ||
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| 7. | Each Participant shall be allowed two (2) hours’ rehearsal period at a time which shall be determined by the Organising Committee. The rehearsal period may be used by the Participant in any way it deems fit. | ||
| 8. | The Organising Committee shall appoint a FEATS Stage Manager and an official Timekeeper, whose decisions shall be final and binding on all parties except in the event that authorised personnel from the theatre shall have the right to intervene at any time for the physical safety of all persons within the building for whatsoever reason. | ||
| 9. | A maximum of five (5) persons shall be designated by the Participant as its Crew to set and strike the scenery. This can include members of the cast. | ||
| 9.1. | Additional personnel who shall be permitted to enter the backstage area provided their duties so require and who shall not be deemed as part of the Crew comprise: | ||
| i. | sound and lighting staff; and | ||
| ii. | a prompter provided he/she does not contribute in any way, either verbally or physically, to the setting and striking of the set, unless nominated as one of the Crew. | ||
| Other support personnel shall remain in the dressing room during setting and striking. | |||
| 9.2. | Backstage shall be defined as: | ||
| i. | the acting area | ||
| ii. | the wings and rear stage area. | ||
| 9.3. | No member of any other group shall be present during the rehearsal period. | ||
| 10. | The Organising Committee shall send to each participant a full data package (hereinafter “Data Package”), which shall include but not be limited to instructions, information, technical details, dates for submission of documents, rules of competition. | ||
| 11. | Participants must provide the Organising Committee with two copies of the script of their production by the date indicated in the Data Package and in the version in which it is to be performed, i.e. with any amendments clearly indicated. Only authorised copies of plays will be accepted, i.e. scripts sent by e-mail are not acceptable as authorisation cannot be proved. Each script shall include a list of characters and indicate if any parts are to be doubled. | ||
| 12. | It shall be the sole responsibility of the Participant to obtain permission for the use of all copyright material, of whatever nature, and to pay any royalties which may be due thereon. If copyright material is altered in any way it shall be the sole responsibility of the Participant to supply evidence that the owner of the copyright has granted permission for the alteration(s). Photocopies of published scripts are acceptable only with the written permission of the publisher. It shall be the sole responsibility of the Participant to supply to the Organising Committee at least two (2) weeks prior to the opening of the current FEATS, performance licence(s) and any other such evidence of permission to perform and/or use and/or photocopy copyright material. Any group which fails to do so may, at the discretion of the Organising Committee, be disqualified from the current FEATS and may forfeit its Performance Bond in full. | ||
| 13. | An original script shall be defined as one written by a member of the participating group which has been used in an original production, which original production shall have had its first public performance within the previous two years or at the current FEATS; and it shall have the director, set and interpretation that it had when first performed in public although individual cast members can have changed since that first performance. | ||
| 14. | The Participant shall notify the Organising Committee if any children or young people (under the age of 18) are involved in the production, either on stage or as part of its Crew or support personnel, and shall comply with all Child Protection Policy and Procedures which may be advised by the Organising Committee. | ||
| 15. | In the event that two or more Participants submit the same play or the Organising Committee shall consider a play unsuitable, for whatever reason, the Participant(s) shall be advised by the Organising Committee and invited to reconsider the choice of material. In the event that a Participant insist on its original choice, the Organising Committee shall have the right to take whatever decision it considers to be in the best interest of the current FEATS which may include replacing the Participant(s) concerned by reserve(s) and returning the Bond(s). | ||
| 16. | Each Participant shall be responsible for insuring its own décor, costumes, properties and transport. | ||
| 17. | No member of a participating group shall be paid for taking part in FEATS. | ||
| 18. | The filming, video- or tape-recording of any performance, even for personal use, is expressly forbidden during the public performance as is any photography which has not been authorised by the Organising Committee. | ||
| 19. | Under no circumstances shall any Participant be permitted to attempt to influence the Adjudicator in any way or to communicate with him or her in any dispute. | ||
| 20. | In any dispute arising between a Participant and the Organising Committee the decision of the Organising Committee shall be final. The Steering Committee may use its goodwill to resolve differences, but shall not have the right to over-rule the Organising Committee. | ||
| 21. | Failure to comply with any of these rules of competition could lead to disqualification from part or all of the competition. | ||