By Sam Allen
If you have some free time this weekend, you could do a lot worse than visit the Warehouse Theatre in Ilminster. On Saturday and Sunday it hosts what to me is the highlight of the SFD year: The County Drama Festival.
The festival brings together amateur drama societies from all across the county and showcases their talents in the convivial surroundings of the Warehouse Theatre. Each session has a number of one-act plays that allow societies to showcase their talents. Every year there are youth entries, comedies, tragedies and usually one or two plays that don’t seem to fit easily into any particular genre! And if at least one of the plays on offer doesn’t tug at your heartstrings, I will be most surprised. There may plays you are familiar with and there will be one or two brand new offerings.
At the end of every session, the adjudicator gives honest and thoughtful feedback and it’s always fun comparing your own thoughts to theirs. And, this being a competition, in the final session the awards are announced and the winners receive their trophies.
If you are involved in community theatre, it is fun to see how others perform their shows, and if you just love being entertained, sit back, relax, and soak it all in. That’s what I’ll be doing. Hope to see you there!
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Tickets are on sale via the Warehouse Website at a mere £9.50 per session and £16.00 per day. Just press the link and you’ll be able to select your tickets today!
Over two days, five local drama groups will present 10 plays to compete for 11 trophies, the most prestigious being the Somerset County Shield for the Best Production in Somerset. So please come along and support your local group, friends and watch the very best amateur one act plays in 2024.
Time | Group | Play | Director |
Sat Aft |
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2.00pm | @2k | After Esme by Kathy West | David Northey |
| IES | The Dumb Waiter by Harold Pinter | Celia Crookes |
| @2K | Murderous Passion by Stephen Mercer | Stephen Mercer |
Adjudication | |||
Sat Eve |
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7.00pm | IES | So Now What by Valda Dagnall | Valda Dagnall |
| @2K | Proof of Provenance by Lorna Evans | Lorna Evans |
Adjudication | |||
Sun Aft |
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2.00pm | St Philip & St James | Soul Mates by Lydia Brimble | Lydia Brimble |
| Taunton Thespians | The Door by Paul Elliot |
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| Clevedon School | All My Love, Charles by Victoria Pope | Victoria Pope |
Adjudication | |||
Sun Eve |
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| St Philip & St James | All Inclusive by Lydia Brimble | Lydia Brimble |
| Clevedon School | The Changing Room by Chris Bush | Victoria Pope |
Adjudication followed by the Awards Ceremony |
The County Drama Festival is the preliminary round of the All England Theatre Festival and the winner will go through to the semi-final for the West of England at the Merlin Theatre in Frome on 11th May 2024. The English Final will be the 8th June at Norden Farm Centre for the Arts in Maidenhead. The British Final is 12 – 13th July at The Perth Theatre in Scotland.
For more details contact Irene Glynn (County Drama Festival Co-ordinator) 07934 6101 55 or ireneglynn61@gmail.com
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