Benderloch and North Connel sweep the boards at festival
Benderloch and North Connel Drama Club cleaned up at this year’s Lorn Drama Festival, winning nine trophies. The club was successful in the adult and junior sections, claiming first prize in both. More than 10 plays were performed over three nights.
WORLD leaders such as Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and Theresa May attended this year’s Lorn Drama Festival in the Corran Halls.
The political figures appeared in teenager Calum McLuckie’s One Stormy Night – a satirical comedy that won the adjudicator’s award.
The play was performed by the Benderloch and North Connel Drama Club Juniors.
The club itself had a very successful festival last week, with first and second prizes in the adult section and a first place finish in the junior section.
The club performed two junior and two adult plays in the three-night festival, which also included performances by Accent Players from Campbeltown, Seil Drama Club, Lochnell Primary and Taynuilt and District Drama Society.
The festival adjudicator, Bruce Adam, hailed the festival as a great success and praised the number and variety of plays performed by juniors.
The trophy for the festival winner is named after Robin Banks, who was a leading member of the Benderloch and North Connel Drama Club from its earliest days, and it is a special moment when the club wins this award, says Mike Rowell, who directed the winning play Stream, River, Sea.
This production was also awarded the JR Smith Trophy for stage set and the Lorn Drama Festival Trophy for stage management, due to its innovative staging and use of sound and lighting effects.
The cast was made up of actors usually seen in Spotlight Musical Theatre productions.
Ellie Cooper and newcomer Megan Day played bereaved mother and daughter, Bella and Daisy, who are coming to terms with the loss of their husband and father with the help of the growing friendship with Hugh, played by Richard Baker.
Megan Day was awarded the Ian MacKay memorial trophy for a moment in theatre for her touching monologue that ended the play.
Second place in the adult section and the Chalmers of Oban Quaich was awarded to Mary, Mary, performed by Benderloch and North Connel Drama Club.
Third place and The Oban Times Salver went to Causalities by the Taynuilt and District Drama Society.
The play also won the inaugural original script award.
Causalities is based on a true event - a visit made by Unity Mitford to the house of a relative of the playwright in Oban in 1948, shortly before she died in May of that year.
The first placed junior play was Grandfather’s Book by Benderloch and North Connel Drama Club juniors.
Lorn Drama Festival chairman David Price,thanked the clubs for their ‘amazing contributions to this year’s festival’.
‘I am very much of the view that we reached new heights in innovation, variety and attainment,’ he said. ‘I must mention in particular the youth teams who brought a new dimension to the festival and all of whom set very high standards in production and organisation.’
Mike Rowell, director for Benderloch and North Connel Drama Club adult section said: ‘Thanks to my marvelous cast who put in a lot of hard work.
‘Both plays did very well, so we are pleased.’