The nominations have been announced for the 2022/23 Phoebe Rees Competition. The adjudication team met on Sunday to decide on the year's awards. The winners will be announced at the Phoebe Rees Awards evening at The Shrubbery Hotel in Ilminster on Friday 20th October.
The adjudication team headed by moderator Robert Graydon and coordinator Andrew Busby included adjudicators Niamh McGrogan, Lynn Pearson and Helen Tompson. Robert said, "It was something of a bittersweet affair given current circumstances. The whole team (bar me) is brand new, committed and enthusiastic, all of which augurs well for the future of local drama. I'd like us to go out with a bang rather than a whimper!"
Helen Tompson, a new member of the adjudication team writes . . . Yesterday I met with my fellow adjudicators to discuss our nominations and decide the awards for the upcoming Somerset Fellowship of Drama Awards night.
Let me tell you, not only did it not feel like a four hour discussion, because of the passion and enthusiasm everyone brought to the table, but it was just the most uplifting and heartfelt conversation.
Each one of us, and there are only five, picked out all those nuances that make a production created by a community so compelling. We loved exploring which actors lifted their characters off the page, and how artistic and creative licence was applied to set design. Or the smallest details hidden in the technical elements. And the lengths some productions went to to put on a show and give their audience an unforgettable experience.
I think it's a common misconception that awards home in just on whether this show was better than that, and that idea fosters a sense of snobbery. How can you compare such a broad rich offer of story telling? The only way to award, in our view, is to focus on the passion that each individuals brings to their role across the production.
After all, people are what brings a story to life.
As ever, the Champagne Moment will be announced as a surprise on the night, For all the other awards the nominations are traditionally announced in advance, with the award winners announced at the celebratory dinner. It promises to be a great evening. Here is the complete list:
Best Production
@2K Theatre Absent Friends
Civic Players Lend Me A Tenor
Wells Operatic Society And Then There Were None
Barnstormers Witness for the Prosecution
Swan Theatre Let It Be Me
Taunton Thespians Much Ado About Nothing
Best non-Theatre Production (Gordon Neagle Cup)
West Huntspill Players Allo Allo
Taunton Thespians Much Ado About Nothing
West Huntspill Players The Game’s Afoot
Roadwater Players Murder in Play
Best Director
@2K Theatre Absent Friends Richard Hockey
Civic Players Lend Me A Tenor Andrew Meadows
Swan Theatre The Hollow Richard Jones
Wells Operatic Society And Then There Were None Adam Lanfranchi
Barnstormers Witness for the Prosecution Mary Noble
Taunton Thespians Much Ado About Nothing Michael Gilbert
Civic Players Dracula Richard Walters
Best Creative Set Design
@2K Theatre Absent Friends
Swan Theatre The Hollow
Swan Theatre Let It Be Me
West Huntspill Players Allo Allo
Barnstormers Witness for the Prosecution
Wells Operatic Society And Then There Were None
Taunton Thespians Pride & Prejudice
Best Set Construction
@2K Theatre Absent Friends
Swan Theatre Let It Be Me
Taunton Thespians Flying Feathers
Civic Players Dracula
Wells Operatic Society And Then There Were None
Barnstormers Witness for the Prosecution
West Huntspill Players Allo Allo
Best Creative Lighting
Swan Theatre The Hollow
Swan Theatre Stepping on My Shadow
Wells Operatic Society And Then There Were None
West Huntspill Players Allo Allo
Best Stage Management
Roadwater Players Murder in Play
Civic Players Dracula
Wells Operatic Society And Then There Were None
Barnstormers Witness for the Prosecution
West Huntspill Players The Game’s Afoot
Best Effects
Civic Players Dracula
Wells Operatic Society And Then There Were None
Swan Theatre The Hollow
West Huntspill Players The Game’s Afoot
Best Costumes
Wells Operatic Society And Then There Were None
West Huntspill Players Allo Allo
Taunton Thespians Much Ado About Nothing
@2K Theatre Absent Friends
Timsbury Theatre Group Laying the Ghost
Taunton Thespians Pride & Prejudice
Best Props
@2K Theatre Absent Friends
Swan Theatre The Hollow
West Huntspill Players Allo Allo
Swan Theatre Let It Be Me
Roadwater Players Murder in Play
Best Male Actor
@2K Theatre Absent Friends Andrew Pearce as Colin
Civic Players Lend Me A Tenor Jay Westaway as Bellhop
Roadwater Players Murder in Play Chris Marshall as Mr Papadopolous etc.
Wayfarers Drama Group The King’s Speech Stephan Fudge as Bertie
West Huntspill Players The Game’s Afoot Shaun Durkin as William Gillette
Barnstormers Witness for the Prosecution Duncan McCanlis as Sir Wilfrid Robarts QC
Taunton Thespians Much Ado About Nothing William O’Neill as Benedick
Civic Players Dracula Stephen Mansey as Renfield
Wells Operatic Society And Then There Were None Simon Birkett as Justice Wargrave
Best Female Actor
@2K Theatre Absent Friends Alison Jenkinson as Diana
Roadwater Players Murder in Play Jess James as Twiggs/Lady Virginia
Swan Theatre Let It Be Me Vivienne Evans as Sylvia
Swan Theatre The Hollow Mary Buckle as Lady Angkatell
Taunton Thespians Pride & Prejudice Claire Haworth as Mrs Bennet
Taunton Thespians Flying Feathers Lorna Evans as Nora Winthrop
West Huntspill Players Allo Allo June Jenkins as Edith
Barnstormers Witness for the Prosecution Lynn Pearson as Margaret Myers QC
Taunton Thespians Much Ado About Nothing Liz Browne as Beatrice
Barnstormers Witness for the Prosecution Penny Williams as Romaine
Civic Players Dracula Vikki Whitchurch as Mina
Best Supporting Male Actor
Wells Operatic Society And Then There Were None Dave Palmer as Blore
West Huntspill Players Allo Allo Shaun Durkin as Alberto
West Huntspill Players Allo Allo Greg Fear as Gruber
West Huntspill Players Allo Allo Dan Webber as Herr Flick
Wayfarers Drama Group The King’s Speech Michael Clifton as Winston Churchill
Taunton Thespians Flying Feathers Rob Smith as Mr Tunnicliffe
West Huntspill Players The Game’s Afoot Matthew Taylor as Felix Geisel
Best Supporting Female Actor
@2K Theatre Absent Friends Chloe Stepney as Marge
@2K Theatre Absent Friends Charlotte Briggs as Evelyn
Swan Theatre Let It Be Me Rachel Butcher as Kate
Swan Theatre The Hollow Erin Darling-Finan as Midge Harvey
Taunton Thespians Pride & Prejudice Melissa Coles as Lydia Bennet
Taunton Thespians Flying Feathers Gill Campbell as Polly
Wells Operatic Society And Then There Were None Sarah Galton as Emily Brent
Wayfarers Drama Group The King’s Speech Sophie Harding as Queen Elizabeth
Barnstormers Witness for the Prosecution Christine Peters as Janet Mackenzie
Taunton Thespians Pride & Prejudice Martine Davies as Lady Catherine
Best Cameo
West Huntspill Players Allo Allo Alastair Murray as Leclerc
Timsbury Laying the Ghost George Clark as Superman
Civic Players Dracula Patricia Jenkin as Maid
Taunton Thespians Much Ado About Nothing Lindsey Cran as The Sexton
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