Broad selection for drama festival

MAIDENHEAD: An annual drama festival is coming back towards the end of this month – with neverbefore-seen groups and some of its youngest ever performers taking to the stage.

Maidenhead Drama Festival is a first round of the All England Theatre Festival – with other similar events taking place across the country in preparation for the national competition.

This year, two groups will be progressed from the Maidenhead Drama Festival, an idea introduced last year: a Best Adult and Best Youth.

The winners will go onto the Eastern Area Final. From there, one overall winning group will progress to the All England final.

Having both a youth winner and adult winner for the first stage is hoped to encourage youngsters to take up performing.

“If the kids don’t get the bug, there won’t be any adult groups in the future,” said Carol Hennessy, organiser of Maidenhead Drama Festival.

“It’s looking good this year. We were a bit thin last year coming out of COVID but we’re coming back stronger and better.”

Several youth groups and groups never seen before are set to perform at the Maidenhead Drama Festival this year.

“This is partly unfortunately because other festivals are closed down, because of economics,” said Carol.

“It’s very frustrating because entering the festival makes no money – it costs groups money [to do this]; for performing rights, to hire a rehearsal room, if they need a van.

“Some groups can’t afford it.

“There’s always a big appeal for audiences.

“We’d love to see more people coming to watch.

“The lovely thing about it is you can see such a variety of stuff, completely different stuff.”

This year, for example, the festival will be seeing some of its youngest ever performers.

The children with The Young Theatre are primary-school age and will be performing ‘Around the World with Class 6’, a ‘very funny’ play set in the classroom.

“It’s quite unusual for us to see them as young as this,” said Carol.

To aid with finances, the festival organisers will be arranging a raffle, the proceeds from which will go to those groups who advance to the next round, to help cover their costs.

Acts will be showing at Norden Farm on:

▪ Wednesday, March 29 at 7.30pm; with performances by The Young Theatre, Headington School and Bishopstoke Players

▪ Thursday, March 30, 7.30pm; with performances by Didcot Phoenix Drama Group and Runnymede Drama Group

▪ Friday, March 31, 7.30pm; with performances by Maidenhead Drama Guild and two by Brackley Youth Theatre

▪ Saturday, April 1,

7.30pm; performances by Lane End Players and Woking College.

Tickets are £10. For more information and to book tickets, visit tinyurl.com/4h6tuju2