The Cumbria Drama Festival a preliminary round of the All England Theatre Festival Programme and Results for 2000

Reg. Charity No. 1071518

The 2000 Festival - March 10th and 11th, 2000

When we received the completed entry forms for this, our 21st festival, we were quite pleased, since we had two more plays than last year’s low of four. However, two of the teams unavoidably had to drop out, leaving us once again with only four plays. Two of these were performed on a rather curtailed Friday evening, the other two on Saturday. Our adjudicator for the 2000 festival was Dr Colin Crowther MA, FETC, LGSM, GODA. Details of the plays performed are given below.

Plays Performed

Friday March 10th, 2000 Ulverston Outsiders In by The Half by Jimmie Chinn Director: RICHARD ROWLATT Stage Manager: GARRY WELDON Madam, a once distinguished actress, lives out her days reliving her past. A surprise visit from her estranged daughter jolts her back to reality. Setting: Madam’s modest London house.  Time: The present. Cast Madam Doris Doctor Sylvia Ursula KATH TOWSE JANE DUCKWORTH SEAMUS DORAN LINDA WELDON JENNY SHIPLEY Arnside Players Our Branch in Brussels by David Campton Director: Jeanne H Hirstle Stage Manager: ANDREW WESTERN Mrs Bee and the committee of the Bountiful Bequest work to aid distressed females. However, Mrs Bee is feathering her own nest and financing the charity in a very dubious way, by running a “branch” in Brussels, where younger girls are sent. Threatened with disgrace, she evolves a bizarre solution. Setting: Mrs Bee’s sitting room  Time: Late 19th century Cast Mrs Jane Bee Effie Daisy Miss Felicia Laurelle Mrs Maude Hardie Miss Beatrice Endicott DOREEN BROCKBANK CAROL NEWBOLD SHEENA STEWART OLWYN McLEAN EVELYN NEWBY JEANNE HIRSTLE Arnside Players are sponsored by Daniel Thwaites plc.

Saturday March 11th, 2000 Gosforth Amateur Dramatic Society Two by Jim Cartwright (abridged by arrangement with Samuel French Ltd) Director: Andrew Milsom Stage Manager: JOHN LARKHAM Sound: ANDREW MILSOM, PAUL BUNN The action takes place over one night, in a pub in the North of England. Setting: A pub bar  Time: The present Cast Landlord Landlady WADVERN DAVIES SUE STOKES Bar stools kindly loaned by Jennings Brothers plc. Swarthmoor Drama Group Permission to Cry by David Campton Director: NEIL DOUGLAS Stage Manager: KEVIN DOWDALL The life of junior minister Julia Gibbon is thrown into turmoil by the conflict between private and public morality. Her affair with forthright journalist Penelope Wright forces Julia to confront her doubts and insecurities. After Penelope is killed in a rally, Julia finally admits to herself that she was in love and allows her public façade to give way. The drama unfolds in a series of dreamlike flashbacks. Setting: A bare stage  Time: The present Cast Julia Gibbon, MP Councillor Eldon-Pugh Susan Little Penelope Wright (“Pen”) Dr Semple, MP JAN GOUGH RAY HODGSON SHEILA FOOTE DAWN CHOJNACKI ADRIAN CHOJNACKI

The Adjudicator - Dr Colin E Crowther MA, FETC, LGSM, GODA

Colin is a writer, director and lecturer with over 25 years’ professional drama experience. He holds the top awards for the performance and teaching of drama from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama as well as a master’s degree and a doctorate, both in drama. He is an award-winning playwright with plays performed around the world, from Scandinavia to New Zealand. Last year, Samuel French published his play Tryst and there are eight to follow. He has also written nearly forty audioguides dramatising the history of such famous places as the Tower of London, Bannockburn and Stonehenge, which are enjoyed by over a million visitors a year.

Colin has taught drama in a wide variety of settings, from lecturing at a university in Africa to working on dramatherapy with prisoners in England. Most recently he has been involved directing and training actors for the professional theatre, some of whom are now playing leading roles on television. He is a member of the Guild of Drama Adjudicators and has also worked as a judge for the Royal Television Society. He now tries to share his knowledge and enthusiasm by running INSET courses for teachers and weekend courses in acting and directing for amateur groups In England and Ireland. But he began learning about theatre by taking part in amateur festivals as a teenager and so is a keen supporter of the festival movement, which he believes has raised the standards of local drama and given our communities something to celebrate.

Trophies Awarded

The Elaine Richardson Trophy - for the winning company
Awarded to Gosforth Amateur Dramatic Society’s production of Two

The South Lakeland District Council Trophy - for the best individual performance
Awarded to Sue Stokes of Gosforth Amateur Dramatic Society

The Sir John Fisher Trophy - for the best actor under 21
No eligible performers

The Lady Maria Fisher Trophy - for the best supporting role
Awarded to Jane Duckworth of Ulverston Outsiders

The Renaissance Theatre Trust Award - adjudicator’s discretionary award
Not awarded

The Doreen Brockbank Trophy - for set decor
Awarded to Arnside Players

The New Generation Trophy - an award for merit
Awarded to Jenny Shipley of Ulverston Outsiders

Subsequent Rounds of The All England Festival and British Final
North West Divisional Final, 2000	The Victoria Hall, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria 15th April 2000 Adjudicator: Geoffrey Annis
Northern Area Final	Southport Arts Theatre, Southport, Lancs 20th May 2000 Adjudicator: Colin Crowther
English Final	Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York 3rd June 2000 Adjudicator: Scott Marshall
British Final	North Wales Theatre, Llandudno 7th-8th July 2000 Adjudicator: Irene Rostron