Spa's stage battle (From Bromsgrove Advertiser)

Spa's stage battle

12:33pm Tuesday 12th March 2013 in News By Alan Wallcroft

DROITWICH’S Norbury Theatre will be hosting the Worcestershire Theatre Festival next month after an absence of 15 years.

This overdue but eagerly awaited return will feature 12 one-act plays performed by regional theatre companies competing head-to-head over the weekend of Saturday and Sunday, April 6 and 7, in front of a professional adjudicator and a paying audience.

The festival, which is a non-profit initiative and run by volunteers, is now in its 55th year.

Some of the plays are by well-known playwrights, including the Black Country-born writer David Tristram, who will be presenting the prizes. The other plays have been written by members of the groups, including Being Boiled by Steven Moran for the Darque Players, No Room At The Inn, also by Steven for Mayhem Theatre Group and Will You Marry Me by Brenda Read-Brown for Tewkesbury Arts & Drama Society.

As well as the Norbury Players, the other theatre groups taking part include Worcester’s Swan Youth Theatre and Ombersley Dramatic Society.

The plays are between 25 and 55 minutes long, and range from comedies to thrillers to highly-emotional dramas. The audience can come along and watch all 12 plays, or just a few, just as they please.

At the end of each session, each play is publically critiqued for acting, direction, stage-presentation and dramatic achievement, by the professional adjudicator - Paul Fowler.

The winners will be announced and the awards presented after the Sunday evening session. The overall winner will go through to the quarter final of the All England Theatre Festival.

Anyone interested in meeting the Midlands playwright David Tristram, who wrote the controversial four minute spoof video – Doreen’s Story – which achieved over a million hits in just few days on YouTube, can meet him on the Sunday night when he presents the awards.

For the full schedule of one-act plays, sessions, timings, and theatre groups performing, visit www.worcstheatrefestival.org.uk Tickets for the event cost £6 per session, with each session comprising three plays, or £9 for two sessions. Tickets will be available on the day. The Theatre Festival will accept cheques or cash, but suggests you arrive early to avoid disappointment.

Further information is available at the website mentioned above or you can twitter @WorcTheatreFest or visit Facebook on http://www.facebook.com/pages/Worcestershire-Theatre-Festival/589169471110725.