The Wilmslow Festival of One Act Plays took place last week and saw a wide variety of plays from all over Cheshire and Manchester being performed at Wilmslow Guild, the adult education centre on Bourne Street.
Publicity Officer Bill Beton said "The festival is a competitive festival for plays up to forty five minutes long. This year we had fifteen plays performed over five nights. We've had plays from as far away as Barton, Hyde, Nantwich and the Wirral. The standard has been very high, and despite the really hot weather every group presented some wonderful theatre."
The festival, which was adjudicated by independent adjudicator Cynthia Ridout, is affectionately referred to as "The Friendly Festival" by some of the participating societies, many of whom have been entering for years.
The awards went to a variety of groups, including Heald Green Theatre, Hyde Little Theatre, CHADS, Nantwich Players, Players Dramatic Society (Cheadle Hulme) and Wilmslow Guild Players.
The full results of the festival were:
- Best Junior Production - The Trouble with Teenagers (The Company, Heald Green Theatre)
- Best Junior Individual Performance - Lydia Ridgway as Queen Elizabeth I in Oh Mr Shakespeare! (ACTS)
- Best Youth Production - Dreamjobs (Phoenix Dance and Drama)
- Best Youth Individual Performance - Cora Bowers and Imogen Bradshaw as Sly and Crafty in The Chair (Hyde Little Theatre)
- Best Senior Production - Consequences (CHADS)
- Best Senior Individual Performance - Helen Gresty and Janan Chopra as Effie and Dr Kovacs in Effie's Burning (Nantwich Players)
- The Geoffrey Reed Award for Best Director - Alyssa Stott and Jill Breckton for Sarah (Phoenix Dance and Drama)
- Adjudicator's Award - Barbara Harris and Margaret Williams as Marjorie and Edna in Slim Chance (Players Dramatic Society)
- The Syd Mence Cup for a Piece of Theatre Magic - Matt Beton as The Knight in Shop! (Wilmslow Guild Players)
Photo: Adjudicator Cynthia Ridout presents the award for Best Senior Production to Hamish Lawson of CHADS.
