Our festival adjudicator for 2018, Alison Haines, GoDA (Ass)

In six decades of active involvement in the world of amateur theatre Alison has always made it a priority to study, to understand and to experience as many different theatrical disciplines as possible.

She is an award winning actress and director with a particular interest in design and costume.

She has a keen eye for detail and, thanks to her BTEC 'Technical Skills in Live Entertainment' qualifications, a sound working knowledge of everything which goes on behind the scenes as well as on the stage.

Since relocating to the west country in 2000, in addition to her active involvement with existing theatre and musical theatre companies in both Devon and Somerset, she has created her own small production company, Manor House (formerly Blackdown Productions) and produces and directs plays and musicals for actors of all ages and abilities.

She particularly enjoys working with children and young adults and, despite all advice to the contrary, this year for the first time, she will also attempt, in an open air touring production of Shakespeare's 'Two Gentlemen of Verona', to direct a dog!

She Is passionate about encouraging and promoting entertaining theatre wherever and whenever the opportunity arises.

She has been actively involved in drama festivals, in one capacity or another, since the 1960s although her first experience of competitive drama came even earlier, whilst still at school.

Alison finally achieved a long-held ambition to become a professional adjudicator when she was granted the honour of being selected as an Associate Member of the Guild of Drama Adjudicators in 2016.

This is only her second season as an adjudicator but she has already enjoyed the challenge of adjudicating a range of different festivals including the Somerset County Drama Festival, The Five Counties Youth Festival, the county final of the Somerset Young Farmers Entertainments Competition and the final of the Glamorgan Young Farmers Pantomime Competition.

Alison lives with her husband, Matthew, in the Blackdown Hills on the Somerset/Devon border where life is peaceful but never boring.

She is eagerly anticipating a feast of theatrical delights at the Harold Joliffe One Act Play Festival 2018 and is thrilled and honoured to have been invited to be your adjudicator.