Positive feedback as Highland community drama clubs take centre stage in Thurso
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Sara Donaldson reports on the recent Highland Divisional Festival of One-Act Plays, held in Thurso, which saw teams from Wick and Inverness qualify for the Scottish final
The Scottish Community Drama Association's 2023 Highland Divisional Festival of One-Act Plays took place at Thurso High School on March 24 and 25, featuring five plays over the weekend. Caithness district winners Wick Players took first place to qualify for the national final in Stirling along with the runners-up, Florians from Inverness.
On the first night the Buccaneer Theatre Club from Lossiemouth presented Window Pain by Patricia Gay, a series of character studies shown through the eyes of Brenda, a woman who sits at her window and watches the world go by. With a few twists in the tale, and a poignant ending, adjudicator Ben Humphrey noted that there was good teamwork throughout the piece, with a "good strong opening".
Next, the Florians presented The Super Seniors' Keep Fit Class by Fiona Black. This was a "delightful, heartfelt comedy" about three women, abandoned by their keep-fit instructor, who fight to keep their village hall from closing while training for a 5k run to raise money for the local hospice.
The adjudicator noted a good use of space, with well-handled direction and the relationships being well played.
For the final set of the night, Wick Players presented Spring Cleaning, from the collection of the late Ian Mathieson. It is a short and sharp comedy where the spring cleaning needs to be done, but maid Jessie Mackay isn’t well. Maggie is here to get things done, and won’t take any of her nonsense.
Mr Humphrey noted that the direction worked well, with strong teamwork that struck the right balance of pace and timing, played with commitment and panache.
On the second night, Phoenix Theatre from Stornoway presented Jilted Lovers Helpline, by Johnny Grim. The play was a dynamic story set in the office of a helpline designed to match jilted lovers with counsellors.
The adjudicator noted good use of space and movement in what could have been a fairly static staging, with nice blocking and an interesting visual with a good use of music.
Finally, LADS (Lhanbryde Amateur Dramatic Society) presented Costa Del Packet! by Anthony Booth, which won the best stage presentation award. The play was an upbeat farce about four friends conned out of a luxury holiday package tour by a bogus travel company who try their best to contend with local builders as they realise they have to spend two weeks in the builders’ hut.
The adjudicator noted the good set, which was exactly what the play required, along with strong teamwork and the visually interesting, well-put-together staging.
Mr Humphrey kept the audience captivated during his times on stage. He noted that his job is to ask "what can we do to make this better", explaining that he marks each play in isolation to a set of essential categories. He added that he looks at each play as a whole, and uses this to come to his conclusion for the festival.
He gave positive feedback for each play, in a kind and sympathetic manner, following up with private adjudications back at the Mill Theatre at the end of the evening.
The Scottish final takes place in Stirling from May 4-6.
Prizes awarded:
First place, the Young Trophy – Wick Players, Spring Cleaning.
Runners-up, Caroline Groves Trophy – Florians, The Super Seniors' Keep Fit Class.
Best stage presentation, the MacLennan Trophy: LADS, Costa Del Packet!
FIRST NIGHT
Buccaneer Theatre Club – Window Pain, by Patricia Gay
Every neighbourhood has a Brenda. She sits at her window and watches the world go by, and "knows" everyone in her area. She has tales to tell us about her neighbours, but always seems to get the facts wrong. The Buccaneers gave us character studies rotating against the central character of Brenda, with a minimal set. There were a few twists in the tale, and a poignant ending. The adjudicator noted that there was good teamwork throughout the piece, with a "good strong opening".
Florians – The Super Seniors' Keep Fit Class, by Fiona Black (entered into the Scott Salver prize for best original script).
Runners-up – Caroline Groves Trophy
In this "delightful, heartfelt comedy", three women, abandoned by their fitness instructor, fight to keep their village hall from closing, while training for a 5k run to raise money for the local hospice. This original comedy also gave us a mystery involving one of the ladies’ old love rival – should they be trusted? The adjudicator noted a good use of space, with well-handled direction and the relationships being well played.
Wick Players – Spring Cleaning, from the collection of the late Ian Mathieson
First place – the Young Trophy
The spring cleaning needs to be done, but maid Jessie Mackay isn’t well. Maggie’s here to get things done, and won’t take any of her nonsense.
The adjudicator noted that in this "short, sharp comedy" the direction worked well with strong teamwork which struck the right balance of pace and timing, played with commitment and panache.
Ben Humphrey noted that his job is to ask "what can we do to make this better" – he obviously loves his job and kept the audience captivated during his times on the stage.
SECOND NIGHT
Phoenix Theatre – Jilted Lovers Helpline, by Johnny Grim
This two-hander, set in the office of a helpline designed to match jilted lovers with counsellors, was a dynamic story that hinted that the lives of the two receptionists weren’t as rosy as they had hoped as we see them trying to work through their own problems.
The adjudicator mentioned that there was a good use of space and movement in what could have been a fairly static staging, with nice blocking and an interesting visual with a good use of music.
LADS – Costa Del Packet!, by Anthony Booth
Best stage presentation – the MacLennan Trophy
Four friends conned out of a luxury holiday package tour by a bogus travel company try their best to contend with local builders as they realise they have to spend two weeks in the builders’ hut. Hump, the hapless tour guide, tries to bolster their spirits in this upbeat farce.
The adjudicator noted the good set, which was exactly what the play required, along with the strong teamwork and the visually interesting, well-put-together staging.
The event was sponsored by the Caithness Collection of hotels.
