Results from the Corn Exchange Drama Festival

Monday, June 17th, 2024

“A wonderful week of theatre”, “a splendid variety of plays”, “interesting to compare my views with those of the adjudicators”. Just some of the comments overhead at last week’s drama festival which was the final week of what has become a regular sequence of events in Oxfordshire – Kenton (Henley), Oxfordshire Drama Network (Abingdon) and Corn Exchange (Wallingford).

Here’s the results from GODA adjudicator Nancy Heath:

Peter Utley Memorial Award for best cameo – Keith Bradford from Didcot Phoenix Drama Group for Metamorphosis.

Rita Kemp Award for best supporting actor – Samantha Riley from HAODS for Woyzeck.

Harris and Jones Salver for best  actor – Marilyn Johnstone from Sinodun Players for And Go To Innisfree.

Commended Award – for the director of And Go To Innisfree from the Sinodun PLayers.

Susan North Memorial Trophy for special moment – Sian Gibson from Banbury Cross Players for The Proposal

Punters’ Prize – Wrong Seat by Oxford Theatre Guild

SP Chair’s Award for runner up – Wrong Seat by Oxford Theatre Guild

Best overall production – And Go To Innisfree by Sinodun Players

Don’t forget to come again next year – May and June, look out for details.

Women Talking

Wednesday, March 1st, 2023;   Reviewed by: Nicola Webb

5/5 The Independent;
91% Rotten Tomatoes;
4/5 Empire Online;

The bald plot facts are that the women of an isolated religious colony reveal a shocking secret about the colony’s men. For years, the men have occasionally drugged the women and then raped them. The truth comes out and the women talk about their new situation.

Overall, the critics say while Women Talking sometimes forsakes entertaining drama in favour of simply getting its points across, its message is valuable – and effectively delivered.

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