The Cumbria Drama Festival a preliminary round of the All England Theatre Festival Programme for 2015

Reg. Charity No. 1071518

The 2015 Festival - Saturday, March 21st, at the Victoria Hall, Grange-over-Sands

This year, much to our delight, we had four entries - one of them being Cockermouth, who we haven't seen for very many years. This is too many for one session so we had to have two - one starting at 3 pm and one starting at 7 pm.

Ticket Prices for one session: Adults £6, OAPs £5.50. Under 18s £3.

Ticket Prices for two sessions: Adults £10, OAPs £9. Under 18s £5.

Plays Performed  

Saturday, March 21st, from 3.00 pm
Burton Drama Society Twilight Robbery by Nicholas Corder Director: IAN STOKES Stage Manager: IAN STOKES
Place: Sunset Grove Retirement Home     Time: Present day The retirement community is a place where the residents have their own flats. The action takes place in one of the resident's flats. It depicts the antics which three of the residents get up to to relieve the tedium of their lives.
Cast:
Joyce Marigold Barbara Brian	ALYSON YATES FELICITY HOLLOWAY SUE STOKES IAN STOKES
Cockermouth Amateur Dramatic Society Last Tango in Little Grimley by David Tristram Director: NICK STANLEY Stage Manager: STEPHEN WALKER
Time: the present. Place: Little Grimley, North England. This is the last desperate plan of a struggling amateur dramatic society to keep their heads above water.
Cast
Gordon Margaret Joyce Bernard	IAN McCAUL JILL ROPER LIZ FITTON SHAUN DAVIDSON

Saturday, March 21st, from 7.00 pm
Cumbria Amateur Theatre Society (CATS) Snowed Under by Anne-Marie Latter Director: JENNY SCHOFIELD Stage Manager: GEOFF SCHOFIELD
The setting is a library, in the evening. Breda and Sue, two library workers, along with Mr Whitely, have been trapped inside the library for three weeks, due to incessant heavy snowfall outside. Tired, cold and hungry, all three wait for rescue. Will the hoped-for rescue arrive before it is too late?
Cast:
Breda Sue Mr Whitely	KATH SMITH LESLEY SKELTON RAY TURNER
Swarthmoor Drama Group Too Long An Autumn by Jimmie Chinn Director: SUE WILSON Stage Manager: KEVIN DOWDALL
Long Autumn is a retirement home for theatricals in the autumn of their lives. Maisie May, a former music hall star, is the latest resident to join Long Autumn, as she has become too much for her straight-laced son and daughter-in-law to look after. Maisie uses her humour to cope, but gradually becomes depressed. Then someone enters her life and changes everything.
Cast
Maisie May Arnold Windrush Ursula Windrush Miss Tate Dad Dora Coxhall Chris	CAROL STRINGER NEIL DOUGLAS KAREN TITCOMB YVONNE ATHERSMITH KEVIN DOWDALL BARBARA DOWDALL JOHN METCALF

The Adjudicator - Andrew Rawlinson, GoDA

Andrew was born and bred in the Lancasire/Yorkshire border town of Todmorden. He was educated in the North West, where he later established an award-winning Murder Mystery company, and presented daily afternoon programmes for regional radio stations CSR and 2BR.

Andrew then went on to become General Manager of national and international touring theatre company, Horse + Bamboo, after which he became Executive Director and Chief Executive of Blackfriars Arts Centre in Boston, Lincolnshire. In early 2005, Andrew became General Managerof The Palace Theatre in Manchester, moving on from there to manage Sunderland Empire and Liverpool Empire Theatre, hosting number one touring productions such as Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Mamma Mia and Mary Poppins.

Continuing his career with Ambassador Theatre Group, Andrew is currently enjoying his role as Head of Operations for the southern ATG venues,

AWay from the theatre, Andrew enjoys researching the history of mind reading and fraudulent spiritualists, and was a member of the Magic Circle and International Brotherhood of Magicians. Andrew has also performed and directed for the professional and amateur stages, and has written editorials on the arts for the industry press.

Andrew is married to Emily, and they have a nine-year-old daughter, Emma, and five-year-old son, Samuel, and together they enjoy walking their elderly Springer Spaniel, Brandy.

Andrew is thrilled to be returning to adjudicate this festival, and he wishes all of the participants much fun and happiness in their performances.

Trophies Awarded

The Elaine Richardson Trophy - for the winning company
Awarded to CATS

The South Lakeland District Council Trophy - for the best individual performance
Awarded to Lesley Skelton (CATS)

The Sir John Fisher Trophy - for the best actor under 21
Not awarded

The Lady Maria Fisher Trophy - for the best supporting role
Awarded to Jill Roper (Cockermouth ADS)

The Renaissance Theatre Trust Award - adjudicator’s discretionary award
Awarded to Kath Smith and Lesley Skelton (CATS)

The Doreen Brockbank Trophy - for set decor
Awarded to CATS

The New Generation Trophy - an award for merit
Awarded to Cockermouth ADS

The David Shipley Memorial Trophy - for backstage work
Not awarded

Subsequent Rounds of The All England Festival and British Final
North West Quarter-Final	No quarter-finals in Northern Area this year. Winners will pass directly to the Northen Semi-Final.
Northern Semi-Final	Venue: The Frazer Theatre, Knaresborough Date: May 2nd-3rd, 2015 Adjudicator: Russell Whiteley, GoDA
English Final	Venue: Harrogate Theatre, Harrogate Date: June 6th, 2015 Adjudicator: Robert Meadows, GoDA
British Finals	Venue: The Wilde Theatre, Bracknell Date: July 3rd-4th, 2015 Adjudicator: Paul Fowler, GoDA