Rock On! Malmesbury's Athelstan Players do the double!

Natasha Gray as Pat and Bob Charman as Jet Rush in 'Honeymoon Suite'

The Athelstan Players came storming back to the hj1act stage this year, winning the festival outright, as well scooping the awards for Best Director, Best Actress and audience favourite.

This is the second consecutive year that the Malmesbury group have claimed the Arts Centre stage as their own.

Their performance of the first act of Tony Layton's 'Honeymoon Suite' saw Bob Charman as ageing rock star, Jet Rush; Natasha Gray as the personal assistant who loves him without his realising, and Nicola Pearce Smith as Frances, the hotel porter and avid fan of Jet's.

Sue Doherty (GoDA) praised Bob Charman's range of emotion, and Natasha's portrayal of silent, unrequited love.

Athelstan's Director, Jackie Morris, won the Best Director award; Natasha won Best Actress with Bob being nominated for Best Actor.

The Athelstan Players also won the BBC Wiltshire Audience Award.

Their win at hj1act 2015 follows on from victory the previous year with 'Isolation at Eyam' by Joyce Dennys.

Sue went on to sum up the three evenings as an "incredible journey" with youth and adult groups bringing "so many styles of genre of theatre."

MYA successful debut!

MYA's colourful interpretation of Shakespeare's 'Midsummer Night's Dream'.

Marlborough Young Actors made their hj1act debut and thoroughly stamped their authority on proceedings by securing the Runners Up spot.

Their impressive adaptation of Shakespeare's 'Midsummer Night's Dream' won praise from the Adjudicator.

Sue Doherty said the interpretation was extremely clever and imaginative.

"Not only that", added Sue, "but this play was pulled off with just eight cast members, when I've seen it done previously with up to 40! MYA must be exhausted at the end of it!"

MYA secured the Charles Grace Cup for the Runners Up. Rosie Walker won Best Performance by a Junior Actor

High standards

The festival adjudicator, GoDA's Sue Doherty praised hj1act.

"I've had a really enjoyable visit to Swindon. We've seen a huge range of theatrical genre but I think what's impressed me the most is the passion that I've seen from the actors and the entering companies. Very impressive!"

New Talent

"Well, what a great year!" said Festival Director Fenella Harrop.

"We're very happy that hj1act is attracting new companies to perform. To see Friendly Theatre and Marlborough Young Actors making their first forays into hj1act, with such impressive results, is very rewarding. Also, we welcomed the Bishopstoke Players, who'd travelled all the way from Southampton! We must be doing something right to tempt companies our way!"

Fenella says she’s particularly delighted that this year’s festival saw more excellent new writing, new groups entering as well as welcoming back old friends from years past.

"It’s hugely encouraging to see the fantastic energy and creativity we have in Swindon and hj1act is proud to be able to showcase such great local talent".

For a full list of nominations and results for HJ1act 2015, please see Results 2015.