Theatre fest goes west
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THE annual showcase of theatre talent in Caithness is set to be an all-western affair when the curtain goes up on the stage in Thurso next month.
The Caithness district Scottish Community Drama Association has announced that this year's one-act play festival will be held over two nights, starting on Friday, February 24, in Thurso High School.
Four drama groups will compete for a chance to progress to the regional rounds which will take place in Dingwall in the spring.
Taking part in this year's contest will be Ormlie Drama Club, Mount Pleasant Primary School, Halkirk Village Drama Club and last year's winners, Thurso Players, who will be performing three plays.
A notable absence from the contest this year is representation from the east side of the county, with the Wick Players unable to appoint a director or form a cast to put together a performance in time.
Caithness SCDA representative Fiona Murray said that it is unfortunate that Wick won't be represented next month.
"It a great a shame that they won't be appearing at this year's festival," she said.
"But after we saw that it would only be drama groups from the west side of the county, it made our job easier to decide to hold it at Thurso High School as it would be most convenient for the performers and for the audience who are coming to support them. Despite the absence from Wick, it still promises to be two nights of great entertainment which will have something for everyone."
Each night will consist of three plays – a mix of open adult festival entries and youth entries, consisting of actors aged from nine years old and upwards and showcasing comedy, drama and tragedy.
Adjudicating this year's festival will be Colin Peter, who is a former chairman of the SCDA.
Now in her second year with the Caithness committee, Mrs Murray said that the theatre scene in Caithness is vibrant and the festival offers a stage for locally based actors to shine.
"What the festival achieves is that it brings live theatre to a local accessible level," she said. "It is entertainment which is so unique because it is people from Caithness who are performing to a Caithness audience.
"For everyone involved, whether they are taking part or are in the audience, it has a personal touch to it which everyone can enjoy."
Last year it was Thurso Players who celebrated victory when Chinamen, directed by Audrey O' Brien and starring Andrew Crawford and Donna Swanson took top honours.
The Players also won the youth festival section with Around the world with Class Six, directed by Eric Maughan.
Both plays competed at the Highland divisional finals at the Assembly Rooms in Wick, but missed out on qualifying for the national final.
Caithness Festival plays to be staged
Friday, February 24, and Saturday, February 25, at Thurso High School.
• Mount Pleasant Primary School: Stolen Locket, improvised piece.
• Ormlie Drama Group: Everything Alright Sir?, by Nicholas Richards.
• Halkirk Village Drama Group: The Gauger's Engagement, author unknown.
• Thurso Players: Café Parisienne, by Glyn Jackson; I am Hamlet, by Richard James; The Saga of Freydis and the Raiders, by Geoff Bamber.
