OTTC win HJ'08!

Swindon-based Old Town Theatre Company won HJ'08 with their play about a day in the life of dock leaves!

Left to right: Jayne Akrill, Jane Dale & Matt Kelly

'On a Day in Summer in a Garden' by Don Haworth tells the tale of Mavis, played by Jayne Akrill; Vera, played by Jane Dale, and Jack, played by Matt Kelly. Written originally for the radio, it presented obvious challenges to OTTC as none of their actors could move. They were truly rooted to their spots!

It was this challenge, and how the actors overcame it, along with obvious technical achievements in set, lighting and sound, that led the adjudicator to give OTTC the awards for Best Play, Best Director and Best Technical.

WADAMS, left to right: Becky Davis, Dave Burbidge, Jenny Burbidge, Jane Weston, Simon Crutchley

HJ'08 organisers were delighted that WADAMS from Wroughton made a return to the festival stage. Their original play, 'Port and Starboard' by Rob Burbidge, attracted two awards for its actors. Becky Davies was awarded the Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of the narrating secretary, Angela. The partner award to that went to her fellow WADAMS actor, Dave Burbidge for his nicely nervous portrayal.

Left to right: Steven Clements and Brad Harris

The Sodbury Players, Sodbury Players Youth Section and, on their first outing, the Sodbury Players Young Adults, all made a very impressive addition to the drama on offer this year. An original piece, 'Life Sentence' by Mark Seaman, netted a very well deserved Best Actress award for Sian Butler. Her portrayal of Anne Bailey helplessly watch her husband descend into dementia was painfully believable. This play also earned its author the award for Best Original Play and the Runners Up award. The Young Adults made their audience laugh with 'Curses, Foiled Again' by Evelyn Hood, and the Youth Section's Heather Nicholls was recognised as the Best Junior Actor for her Witchfinder in 'Witch Hunt' by Stuart Ardern.

Perhaps the noisiest, and fastest moving play was performed by PVADS. 'Verve' by Mark Lucas is a fast moving farce demanding great comic timing from its actors. The HJ'08 audience proved their enjoyment of this performance by voting it their favourite through the BBC Radio Swindon Audience Award. PVADS Youth Section also attracted a brace of awards for their performance of 'The Fall of the House of Usher' by Edgar Allen Poe. PVADS Youth Section won Best Youth Play and the Dramatic Endeavour award.

Geoff Roffe as the Adjudicator in Highworth's 'Late Entry'

Another returning company, Highworth Community Drama, netted an award. 'Late Entry' by David Tristram is simply a monologue, followed by an adjudication. The combination serves very well to poke fun at those men and women who judge at festivals like HJ'08. For his portrayal of the Adjudicator, Geoff Roffe earned the Best Actor award.

OTTC, left to right: Matt Kelly, Jane Dale, Jayne Akrill & Nancy Heath with Cllr Michael Barnes, Mayor of Swindon

HJ'08 Festival Director, Ashley Heath, says it was another success. "It's very encouraging that this is the second year we've had enough entries to mount a fourth session of Youth Drama. It's the future of our craft and we're duty bound to see young talent prosper. Also, when an adjudicator with the experience of Paul Fowler says that the standard of drama here has risen since he was with us for HJ'06; well, we have to believe him! We're looking forward to an equally successful HJ'09!"

For the full results see the Results page.

The Photographs on this page are ©Robert Slade, Manor Photography