Young actors are the stars of the show
The wealth of talent exhibited by the junior actors won high praise at this year’s drama festival.
In their first outing at the festival, the Whiting Bay Junior Drama Club picked up the prize for the best moment of theatre during their performance of Super-Secret Surprise Casserole.
Meanwhile, Shiskine Junior Drama Club were awarded the best youth team, and the best acting performance in a youth play went to Shannon Galbraith in Lamlash Junior Drama Club’s Platform Party.
Taking the top honours, and the Archie Kerr Wooley Trophy for the highest score in the festival were Lamlash Drama Club with Happy Deathday, which also scooped up the best supporting adult actor award.
The second highest points achieved by an adult company came from the Whiting Bay Music and Drama company with the original play Autogeddon Revisited, written and performed by Dave Simpkin with another familiar actor, Andy McNamara, whose children featured prominently in the youth plays. Mum too was involved, but from behind the curtain assisting the actors as a prompt.
Adjudicator Dr Paul Dougall, summing up the two days of drama before the prize-giving, said that selecting one play over another with their various merits was a difficult task, but without falling into the trap of pandering to the junior actors, he felt that their performances were up to a high standard and he looked forward to possibly returning one day and seeing how the talented youngsters had developed their skills.
The following trophies were then presented:
The Jean Bannatyne Trophy, for best supporting acting performance in a youth play: Innis Thorborn, Catch As Catch Can.
The Douglas Sillars Trophy, awarded to the best acting performance in a youth play: Shannon Galbraith, Platform Party.
The Mattie Gillies Trophy, awarded to the best supporting acting performance in any adult play: Steve Garraway, Happy Deathday.
The Monie Kelso Trophy, awarded to the best acting performance in any adult play: Allan Little, Happy Deathday.
The Whiting Bay Club of Drama and Music Golden Anniversary Trophy, awarded for the best moment in theatre: Super-Secret Surprise Casserole.
The Mary Stewart Orr Trophy, awarded to the best youth team: Catch as Catch Can.
The Millhill Players Trophy, awarded to the team gaining the highest total of marks in a play of contrasting type to that which wins the Archie Kerr Wooley trophy: Autogeddon Revisited.
The Archie Kerr Wooley Trophy, awarded to the team gaining the highest mark in the festival: Happy Deathday.