All England Theatre Festival Programme and Results for North West Divisional Final   May 3rd, 2003

Reg. Charity No. 1071518

The Festival

The 2003 North West Divisional Final was hosted by the Cumbria district and held at the Victoria Hall, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria on Saturday May 3rd. The adjudicator was Mr Geoffrey Annis, LRAM, ADB, BA(Hons), T Cert, BFF, GODA, PGCA. Details of the plays performed are given below.

Plays Performed

Programme Representing the West Pennine District Preston Drama Club The Apothecary by Steve Pearce Director: CHRISTINE ODLUM Lighting: SUE SHELSTONE Sound: STEVE HALL Sentenced for selling the poison to Romeo, the Apothecary’s “punishment” is to ply his trade for all eternity until his debt is paid. This is a strange and surreal dark tale about greed and desire which leaves the audience wondering who is the real victim - the Apothecary or the Customer. Cast Apothecary Customer Wretch #0 Wretch #1 Wretch#2 Wretch #3 / Thief ROGER CONNEFF DAVE KENT CHRIS SHELSTONE JAQUELINE BAYLISS NICK TOMLINSON IAN WARBURTON Representing theCumbria District Swarthmoor Drama Group A Respectable Funeral by Jimmy Chinn Director: NEIL DOUGLAS Lighting: JOHN FOOTE Twenty-something years ago, Joyce, Evadne and Greta, three sisters, returned to their mother’s house after her funeral. Brother Charlie was not with them and he had not been at the funeral. We join with them as they discuss Mother’s last days, reminiscing and reflecting on personal moments and wider family issues as well as planning on how to spend their inheritance. Why wasn’t Charlie at the funeral? He should have been there. Cast Evadne Joyce Greta Charlie JAN GOUGH SUE WILSON SHEILA FOOTE RON HODGSON Representing the Manx Amateur Drama Federation Rushen Players Womberang by Sue Townsend (produced in association with Samuel French & Co.) Directors: ADRIENNE SANDERSON and NICKY MERRITT Stage Manager: ADRIENNE SANDERSON Lighting and Sound: IAN COSTAIN Setting: A waiting room at St James Infirmary, a small general hospital on the outskirts of London. It is the early eighties, on a warm October afternoon. A gynaecological clinic is in progress ... Cast Rita Clerk Dolly Mrs Connelly Mrs Lovett James Audrey Lynda Mrs Cornwallis Mr Riley LESLEY COOLE KIRSTY ASCROFT JOAN HAYES PAT CLEWIS MARI MOSS WAYNE KELSALL CATIE ANGUS NICKY MERRITT PAM BUSH MIKE TIPPER Representing the Mersey, Dee and District The Players Skelmersdale No Name in the Street by Edward Murch (produced by special arrangement with Baker’s Plays)) Director: IAN DUFFY Stage Team: MARK HILL, BILL MOLYNEUX Sound: BEN DUFFY Cast First Spectator Second Spectator Third Spectator Fourth Spectator Fifth Spectator Mother Temple Trader Widow Mistress Servant First Angel Second Angel Kitchenwoman Prophetess CHARLIE PRICE CHRISTINE FELTON EMMA DUFFY SANDI DUFFY IAN DUFFY CLARE GLYNN MARK ASHTON JAYNE VELLA REBECCA WILLIAMS CHRISTINE FELTON SANDI DUFFY IAN DUFFY PEARL BIRCHALL SANDI DUFFY

The Adjudicator - Mr Geoffrey Annis LRAM, ADB, BA(Hons), T Cert, BFF, GODA, PGCA

Geoffrey Annis trained at Hull College of Education, Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama and London University (external). He retired from full-time teaching in 1993, after 30 years as head of drama and English in secondary schools and many successful school and youth productions. He is an experienced adjudicator; a lecturer and workshop leader in drama, theatre arts and public speaking, and a pro/am director with many festival-winning productions to his credit. He is also an examiner and private teacher in GCSE and A-level English, a performing arts assessor and a professional actor with radio and TV experience, including parts in “Coronation Street”. He also frequently enjoys recital work. Recent successful productions have been “The Sunshine Boys” and “The Birthday Party” at Leeds Civic Theatre and “Last Tango in Whitby” and “The Crucible” at Hull Truck Theatre. He has appeared in, and directed, more shows than he cares to remember! Currently, he specialises as a voice-over artist and presenter in the corporate, commercial, documentary, interactive, training and audio-book fields. He is drama secretary (and ex-chairman) of Hessle Operatic and Dramatic Society and a member of Hull Literary Club, to which he has contributed articles and papers on literary subjects. He writes poetry from time to time and had a poem published in “The Anchor Book of Northern Verse”. When time allows, he enjoys jazz and avoiding golf bunkers!

Trophies awarded

The Magrath Trophy - for the winning company
Awarded to Swarthmoor Drama Group for A Respectable Funeral.

The Barbara Williamson Trophy - for set decor
Awarded to Preston Drama Club.

Subsequent Rounds of The All England Festival and British Final
Northern Area Final	Rowntree Theatre, York 10th May, 2003 Adjudicator: Vivienne Glover Winners: Dewsbury Arts Group The Duck Variations by David Mamet
English Final	Gladstone Theatre, Port Sunlight 14th June, 2003 Adjudicator: Richard Woodward Winners: St. Austell Players On The Road Again by Laurence Allan
British Final	Gaiety Theatre, Douglas, Isle of Man 4th/5th July 2003 Adjudicator: Russell Whiteley Winners: Kirkton Players The Steamie (abridged version) by Tony Roper