The Lighthorne Festival of One Act Plays

Author: Rod Inness-Chaytor

  • Lighthorne Festival winners 2016

    A touring company from Northampton has won the fourth annual Lighthorne Festival of One-Act plays.

    White Cobra took the coveted trophy with Housebound by Simon Mawdsley, a comedy about a burglary gone wrong, which they entered at the last minute to help the organisers after another group pulled out.

    Lighthorne Festival winners 2016, Housebound by Simon Mawdsley, directed by Paul Fowler, performed by Winners White Cobra Theatre Company of Northampton. Richard Jordan as Bone the burglar, and Kate Billingham as Fiona, the agoraphobic housewife.

    The East Midlands theatre company, previous national champions, had already submitted their first choice, a tragi-comic story behind a Laurel and Hardy tribute act, entitled Another Fine Mess by Gillian Plowman.

    The group performed both plays on the second night (Thursday June 9, 2016) of the four-night Festival in which ten amateur theatre companies presented 12 plays in Lighthorne Village Hall, Warwickshire.

    Second were Great Witley Operatic Society from Worcestershire with the Burnand and Sullivan comic operetta, Cox and Box.

    Nuneaton’s Abbey Players, who were defending their title as the 2015 champions, came third and fourth respectively with their two plays, Boxing Day and Just a Straight Man. The adjudicator was Jan Palmer Sayer who is a Council Member of the Guild of Drama Adjudicators.

    White Cobra now qualify for consideration for the National Drama Festivals Association British All-Winners Finals, to be held this year in Hertford at the end of July. Lighthorne is a NDFA-recognised Festival.

    Two local playwrights whose plays were performed during the Festival, Ginny Davis from Lighthorne Drama Group with her gentle WI comedy Arrows of Desire, and Nick Marsh from Rugby Theatre with his World War Two thriller A Frank Exchange, have been nominated for NDFA’s original writing competition by the adjudicator and the Festival chairman, Rod Chaytor.

    DSCF8104
    Arrows of Desire, tells the story of the chairman of a village WI group battling dwindling numbers, written by local playwright Ginny Davis and performed by Ginny herself (right) together with Sharon Bayliss, who played the part of Anna Gold (left), directed by Victoria Pritchard.

    He said:” For the second year running, our top four participants achieved or surpassed a score of 80, which is the Guild of Drama Adjudicators’ benchmark of excellence, and two other groups were as close as possible behind.

    “We have again this year been getting really positive feedback from our village, the wider audiences and participating groups. Everyone seems to have had a fantastic time.

    “Our guests this year included two other GoDA Council members, two national Council members of the National Drama Festivals Association, a national officer and two regional officers from the All-England Theatre Festival plus a regional officer from the National Operatic and Dramatic Association.

    “It is a tribute to our event and the village team which runs it that so many Festival organisers of national significance came from all over the country to see how we do it, just to enjoy it, or both.”

    The organisers paid tribute to the Stratford-based theatre company, Caramba, their inaugural 2013 winners, who also stepped in to fill a breach with a self-written monologue by director Kate Guest; and another Stratford group, Phoenix Players, who managed to shift an 11-hander from one night to another to accommodate forced changes to the running order.

    Next year’s Lighthorne Festival will run from Wednesday June 7 to Saturday June 10, 2017. Expressions of Interest from would-be participating groups are invited to chairman Rod Chaytor on rod.chaytor@icloud.com by October 31, this year.

     

  • Running order 2016

    WEDNESDAY JUNE 8, 2016 AT 7.30 PM

    Abbey Players, Nuneaton

    “Just A Straight Man” by Rob Smith and John Mawson

    Trevor Richard Shields
    Barney Craig Spencer
    Directors Richard Shields and Craig Spencer
    Crew Steve Lewin, Darren Chadwick, Dave Sedgwick

    Two stage performers returning from a successful tour in Las Vegas are preparing for their next show, but their success hides a bitter undercurrent of tension.

    Caramba Theatre Company, Stratford-upon-Avon.

    “Dear Cassandra” by Kate Guest

    Cassandra Austen Kate Guest
    Director Tim Guest

    Cassandra Austen outlived her sister Jane by about 40 years. Near the end of her life, she decided, for unknown reasons, to destroy many of Jane’s letters. This short piece is an intimate portrayal of her decision, inspired by Jane’s remaining letters, other accounts of the famous novelist and a little artistic licence.

    This play is not entered for the Festival competition.

    Abbey Players, Nuneaton

    “Boxing Day” by Bruce Olive

    Woman Charlotte Keen
    Man Craig Spencer
    Director Craig Spencer
    Crew Steve Lewin, Darren Chadwick, Dave Sedgwick

    It’s the day after an Australian Christmas and a married couple review their relationship.

    THURSDAY JUNE 9, 2016, AT 7.30 PM

    White Cobra, Northampton

    “Another Fine Mess” by Gillian Plowman

    Steve Richard Jordan
    Phil Paul Fowler
    Meg Kate Billingham
    Director Martin Borley-Cox

    Laurel and Hardy’s slapstick comedy still makes people laugh nearly 100 years after they made their first film together. Stephen and Phil’s tribute act to the duo includes some of their classic sketches. But as they rehearse in the back room of a pub, a shocking revelation from Phil threatens everything.

    Banbury Cross Players

    “The Regina Monologues” by Rebecca Russell & Jenny Wafer

    Cathy Rebecca Calverley
    Annie Katherine Groves
    Jane Joanne Firth
    Anna Deborah Watson
    Katie Melanie Austin
    Katherine Jan Batchelor
    Lighting Robin Williams
    Director Helen Watson

    Six modern women with one thing in common. Each tells their story and shares their experiences of miscarriage, love affairs and betrayal with humour, pathos and a great deal of wine, showing that the plight of their sixteenth century sisters – also married to a Henry – is still relevant five hundred years on.

    White Cobra, Northampton

    “Housebound” by Simon Mawdsley

    Bone Richard Jordan
    Fiona Kate Billingham
    Director Paul Fowler
    Stage Managers Bernie Wood, Denise Swann
    Sound & Lighting Philip Welsh

    A man in a mask and a woman in real trouble! Add some phobias, a wasp and a dash of reggae and you’re left with a big hearted comic drama full of menace, laughter and dirty carpets.

    FRIDAY JUNE 10, 2016 AT 7.30 PM

    Lighthorne Drama Group

    “Arrows Of Desire” by Ginny Davis

    Sally Brown Ginny Davis
    Anna Gold Sharon Bayliss
    Director Victoria Pritchard
    Sound/lights Tom Willcock

    President of West Nippleton WI, Sally Brown, holds tradition dear. A proposal for radical change is on the agenda at this month’s meeting. Will Sally hold her ground or will an unexpected visitor bearing bad tidings, challenging opinions and Cupid’s arrow change her mind?

    Rugby Theatre

    “A Frank Exchange” by Nick Marsh

    Elsbet Ruth Long
    Ten Haken Andy MacCallum
    Dettmann Tom Browning
    Heléna Cheryl Ryan
    Henk Jonathan Pollard
    Meinicke Nick Marsh
    Director John Dulcamara
    Lighting Luke McMaster
    Sound Ash Hirons
    Costume Sarah May

    As a Dutch police employee absorbed into the wartime Nazi organisation, Helena Claassen is already under pressure for someone with nationalistic sympathies. To worsen matters, her German boss has a charm that can undermine the most resolute of subjects, and Helena finds herself having to make an impossible choice.

    Phoenix Players, Stratford

    “Dance Before Dying” by Kaylee Holt and Baz Stilinski

    Callum Baz Stilinski
    Mrs. Traherne Andi Hardy
    Belle Katie Cherry
    Loz Laura Codd
    Marcus Adam Clarke
    Kate Kirsty Asad-Caudell
    Miss Wilkins Linda Burridge
    Karen Fiona Robson
    Dave Graham ‘Junior’ Ball
    Nick Jon-Luke Goodman
    Barman Graham Robson
    Director Kaylee Holt
    Sound/Lighting Andy Jepson
    Stage Crew Graham Robson and Gala McBride
    Costume Jacqui Lindsay and Caroline Adams

    Callum has tragically died but his spirit is in a state of unrest and determined to find out about his own death. With the help of his spirit guide he turns up at his own wake to find the answer he seeks.

    SATURDAY JUNE 11, 2016 AT 7.30 PM

    Priory Theatre, Kenilworth

    “A Little Box of Oblivion” by Stephen Bean

    Mr Cool Dan Cowan
    Mrs Neuro Lydia Ward
    Mr Doom Paul Saunders
    Dick Daniel Kirk
    Woman Karen Shayler
    Director Chris Sharp
    Stage Manager Nigel Sharp
    Sound/Lights Rob Henderson

    Mr Cool is spending a quiet hour in the park reading his newspaper when he is asked by a stranger to keep his eye on a box. The stranger rushes away leaving Mr Cool at the mercy of helpful strangers. Life begins to take on a surreal quality when one of them calls the police, another predicts doom before a young “Private Eye” turns up with all the answers.

    Armistice Theatre, Kenilworth

    “Thicker than Water” by Rebecca Gardner Tildesley

    Yvonne Rebecca Gardner Tildesley
    Dr Carlisle Mike Tildesley
    Charlie Dan Blizzard
    Maggie Ruth Jones
    Rev. Fraser Alec Brown
    Sandra Lisa Webster
    Christine Selina Toor
    Director Mike Tildesley
    Props/costumes Lesley Brown
    Lights Jen Parker
    Sound Marcus Webster
    Backstage Gareth Jones

    Five siblings from a dysfunctional family meet in a hospital waiting room to visit their mother during her final hours. As the evening progresses, old family disputes come to the surface, secrets are revealed and after a chance encounter, they finally realise that blood really is thicker than water.

    Great Witley Operatic Society

    “Cox and Box” by F. C. Burnand and Arthur Sullivan.

    Bouncer, the landlord Paul Thompson
    Box, a printer Michael Faulkner
    Cox, a journeyman hatter Ian Walton
    Directors Judi Walton and Cast

    A landlord lets a room to two lodgers, one who works at night and one who works during the day. When one of them has the day off, they meet each other in the room and tempers flare.

  • TALENTED LINE-UP FOR LIGHTHORNE 2016

    Eleven top Amateur Theatre companies will again perform 12 plays over four nights in this year’s fourth Lighthorne Festival of One Act Plays.
     
    Four of this year’s participating groups, including last year’s Lighthorne winners, Abbey Players from Nuneaton, together with Lighthorne Drama Group and newcomers Great Witley Operatic Society from Worcestershire, are former national finalists. 
     
    Another Lighthorne newcomer, White Cobra from Northampton, won the 2014 national championships in the full-length play section.
     
    And a two-handed play brought forward by yet another new group, Take 2 from Stourbridge, features two award-winning actresses.
     
    The annual event will be staged this year in Lighthorne Village Hall from Wednesday June 8 to Saturday June 11, inclusive.
     
    Festival Chairman Rod Chaytor said:”The Lighthorne Festival continues to attract groups from an increasingly-wide geographical area and of ever-growing reputation. Standards can only rise.
     
    “But it is also very pleasing to see loyal stalwarts such as Banbury Cross Players and Phoenix Players, Stratford, returning again, having been with us from the start. 
     
    “Last year’s third-placed Armistice Theatre from Kenilworth are also back and their neighbours the Priory Theatre, Kenilworth, will no doubt be seeking to go one better than their last year’s second place.
     
    “Highly-reputable Rugby Theatre are also with us again, having made their Lighthorne debut last year, and we are delighted to welcome our first Coventry amateur theatre group, Wheatsheaf Players.”
     
    Abbey Players have submitted two plays.
     
    As in previous years, groups will be competing for a £500 cash prize plus the right to donate a matching sum to a registered charity of their choice.
     
    Lighthorne Festival is said to be unique because of its village setting, its charity-focussed prize structure and cafe-theatre format in which the audience sits informally at tables, a glass of wine in front of them, and a hot supper is served during the interval.
     
    Entrants will be competing not just for the title, cash prize and handsome theirs-to-keep engraved glass trophy, but also for the right to enter the National Drama Festivals Association’s British All-Winners Finals to be held this year from July 25 to July 31 at the Hertford Theatre.
     
    NDFA’s one-act playwriting competition, the George Taylor Memorial Award, has again attracted strong interest from Lighthorne entrants with nearly half the entries being self-written original work.
     
    This year sees a change of adjudicator with Jan Palmer Sayer, of the Guild of Drama Adjudicators, taking over from Mike Kaiser, GoDA, who officiated at Lighthorne for its first three years.
     
    The Box Office opens on May 2 and can be reached by emailing lighthornefestival@gmail.com or via a website link on lighthornefestival.org.uk or on 01926 651239. Tickets are £12.50 each including a hot meal. This year for the first time there is a four-night Season Ticket at a reduced rate of £45.00.
     
    The running order in full of the 2016 Lighthorne Festival of One-Act Plays can be found in the Entrants section on the website.