The 2018 Elmbridge Drama Festival drew to a close on Saturday 10th March in the Cecil Hepworth Walton Playhouse, with the presentation of awards by the festival adjudicator Keith Phillips, an Associate Member of the Guild of Drama Adjudicators.
The 2018 Elmbridge Drama festival was generously supported by the RC Sherriff Trust that awards project grants in support of the Arts to organisations and individuals in the Elmbridge Borough.
Keith praised the variety of drama, with three original works in the four one-act plays presented over two evenings.
Two of the participating drama groups (Thursday Night Project and local group Pond Grainger Performing Arts) were first time entrants in the festival whilst festival regulars Bishopstoke Players from Eastleigh, Hampshire presented two of the new plays.
Thursday Night Project won the Richard Davis Best Play trophy for their production of “Heads” by Howard Brenton, a highly visual and abstract play featuring a video representation of a double head transplant (nowhere near as gory as it sounds !).
This slick and technically impressive production also collected individual awards for Best Actor (Neil Park) and Best Actress (Mary Taylor) in addition to the technical merit award.
One of the Bishopstoke Players productions (“No Easy Road”) won the Runners Up trophy, Best Director award for Peter Yates and Best Youth Actor/Actress for Lewis Pickles.
Pond Grainger Performing Arts also achieved notable success in their debut competitive drama appearance, winning awards for the best new work, best supporting player and the Adjudicator’s Award for the impressive dancing troupe, a first on the Playhouse stage in this drama festival.
Thursday Night Project will represent the Elmbridge Drama Festival in the Eastern Area Final of the All England Theatre Festival, to be held in the impressive Norden Farm Arts Centre in Maidenhead on Saturday 13th May 2018
The full list of award winners is below.
Ian Thomas
Chairman, Elmbridge Drama Festival
TROPHY
AWARD WINNER
BEST PLAY
The Richard Davis Trophy
“Heads”
Thursday Night Project
RUNNERS UP
W.Erskin Thomas Rosebowl
“No Easy Road”
Bishopstoke Players – “No Easy Road”
BEST DIRECTOR
Michael Fishlock Trophy
Peter Yates
Bishopstoke Players – “No Easy Road”
BEST ACTOR
Edward G. Hubbard Trophy
Neil Park
Thursday Night Project
BEST ACTRESS
Alice Sharp Trophy
Mary Taylor
Thursday Night Project
BEST SUPPORTING PLAYER Anne Holmes Trophy
Mason Willett & Danny Still
Pond Grainger Performing Arts
BEST YOUTH ACTOR or ACTRESS
Molly Jack Trophy
Lewis Pickles
Bishopstoke Players – “No Easy Road”
BEST ORIGINAL WORK
Stage Coach Trophy
“The Narrator”
Alex Grainger - Pond Grainger Performing Arts
TECHNICAL MERIT
Mark Wilkinson Trophy
“Heads”
Thursday Night Project
ADJUDICATOR'S AWARD
Miss Rona Laurie
Dancing Troupe
Pond Grainger Performing Arts