Feast of theatre is also a launch pad
Acts put their best foot forward as they took to the stage for Maidenhead Drama Festival this week in the hope of progressing onto the next round of a countrywide arts competition.
Around 200 people attended Norden Farm across Thursday, Friday and Saturday last week to enjoy one-act plays from schools, youth groups and adult drama groups.
The festival, which marked its 76th year this year, is the first round of the All England Theatre Festival (AETF) and saw eight plays between 20 and 55 minutes long performed by groups including Maidenhead Drama Guild and the Bishopstoke Players.
Carol Hennessy, chair of Maidenhead Drama Festival, said: “It all went very well.
“We had good audiences. We had some really good plays.”
LCA Stage Academy, which performed (Circle Dreams Around) The Terrible Terrible Past, was crowned as the overall winner, taking home The Maidenhead Advertiser Trophy.
“It was a very good performance, really interesting to watch and highly amusing in places too,” Carol added.
As the top youth group, the academy will be going through to the Eastern Area Final at the Barn Theatre in Oxted on Sunday, May 26.
They will be joined by the top-marked adult group, Runnymede Drama Group, who performed To Know
When My Time Will Come, and received The Dorcas Gowing Memorial Trophy.
The group also received
The John Rigg Trophy for
Best Comedy.
Prizes were presented by adjudicator Jan Palmer Sayer, and the recipients also included Woking College
Theatre Company which came second and received The Biggs Drama Shield for its play Woyzeck, as well as The David Highmore Backstage Award.
LCA Stage Academy also took home The Maidenhead Youth Drama Trophy in the youth groups category and
The Lynda Whitworth Trophy as AETF Winner and won the Special Award for Stage Presentation, receiving The South of England Bowl.
The academy also received the Adjudicator’s Award in the form of The Moyra Hutchinson Trophy.
For its play Quadrille, Maidenhead Drama Guild received The Fred Stone Trophy for The Best Unpublished Play and
The Joan Beckley Memorial
Cup for The Best Performance of a Short Play.
Carol added that a raffle was also held and raised £140 for the two groups going forward to the Eastern Area Final.
The All England Theatre Festival culminates in the Grand English Final which will take place at Norden Farm
this year on Saturday, June 8 and will see the four area champions go head-to-head to win the top prize.
“It’s a big challenge logistically, but I’m looking forward to it,” Carol added.
For more information, visit: https://www.maidenheaddrama-festival.co.uk/