Producer Mike’s trophy hat-trick helps Benderloch to magnificent seven
A haul of trophies from the 65th North Lorn Drama Festival in Appin went back down the A828 as Benderloch and North Connel Drama Club had a festival to remember.
The club won seven of the 11 prizes on offer last week as its two plays, English for Ponylovers and Hot Desk, won first and second respectively in the adult category.
Mike Rowell produced both plays and, playing the security guard in Hot Desk, was awarded the adjudicator’s awards for the adult section (Mr and Mrs Jack Skea Cup) and for a moment in comedy (The Rab MacDonald Memorial Trophy). The latter award was particularly special, too, for Rab MacDonald’s daughter Aimie Baker, who performed opposite Mike in the play.
Mike also picked up the Mr H J Dobson Trophy for best production for Hot Desk.
In the youth section, Benderloch and North Connel Juniors were runners-up to Taynuilt and District Dramatic Society. However, they won the adjudicator’s award in the section for their play Charlotte Holmes: Future Detective.
There was home success, too, as the special endeavour award went to Appin Allsorts Drama Group for the play Honeymoon for One, with a special mention to 82-yearold star Moira Thomson.
Strath of Appin Primary School also retained the Duncan Sutherland Trophy for winners of the primary section.
The Adjudicator’s Award for a moment in theatre, The Calum Thomson Memorial Trophy, was won by Taynuilt and District Drama Society for its play, When a Man Knows.
Adjudicator Dave Bennet remarked on a ‘strong festival’, which featured eight plays across three nights last Wednesday to Friday in Appin Village Hall.
The festival was chaired this year by Duncan MacCorquodale, whose wife Isobel presented the trophies.