Festival Rules And Regulations

This section describes the rules and regulations for the festival and has links to the relevant documents for downloading and printing. Please read them carefully.

The deadline for receipt of applications to enter the festival is 1st May 2024. Applications received after this date will only be considered in the event of another group withdrawing from the festival.

A Technical Rehearsal day will be held on Sat 8th & Sun 9th June where Companies can arrange their stage setting, set special effects and check sound and light levels. Each Company will be given an allotted time-slot for this closer to the date.

  1. Entry forms must be returned on or before the date shown on the entry form. Entries must include the choice of play to be performed and will be accepted on a first come first served basis. Entries not specifying the choice of play may be considered for performance at the Festival, but only after all those received by 1st May in which the choice of play is specified
  2. Where a company wishes to enter more than one play in either the adult or the youth category, the entry forms should clearly indicate the order of preference for entry in the Festival. One senior and one youth entry will be accepted initially per company (subject to availability of slots), with any others held on the reserve list
  3. The age limit for youth groups should be up to and including 18 years at the time of entry
  4. The maximum time for each entry is 1 hour including set-up, and strike. There will be no curtain calls
  5. It is the responsibility of the entrant to obtain a licence or permission to perform the material. A copy of the licence/permission must be shown to the organisers before the day of the performance
  6. A copy of the play or excerpt to be performed must be sent to the Organiser no later than the date shown on the entry form so that the Adjudicator can read it before the performance. It must be an original or publisher’s version (or photocopy with permission if out of print) to comply with copyright law. Scripts will be returned after the performance
  7. The choice of entry must not be based on any information gleaned from the Adjudicator
  8. The order of performance will be decided by the Organiser and will be notified to the entrants in good time
  9. Entrants will supply their own stage and technical staff but advice will be available from Corn Exchange staff
  10. There will be a standard lighting rig throughout the Festival
  11. Ticket prices will be determined by the Corn Exchange management
  12. The cost of entry will be £20 per play. Junior entries will be free. Cheques should be made payable to “The Corn Exchange”
  13. Nine prizes will be awarded: Best Overall Production, The SP Chair’s Award (for runner up), Commended Production, Best Junior Production, The Harris & Jones Salver (best individual performer), The Rita Kemp Award (for best supporting actor), The Peter Utley Memorial Award (for best cameo appearance), The Susan North Memorial Trophy (best moment) and The Punters’ Prize. Except for the last, the awards are based on a ranking determined by the Adjudicator following performances by all the entrants. The Punters’ Prize will be awarded by election from those members of the audience holding season tickets for the Festival and who have seen all the performances.
  14. The attention of entrants is drawn to the attached extract from the Corn Exchange licence regarding smoking, the use of naked flames on stage and other safety aspects. These regulations must be adhered to at all times
  15. Flash lights, cameras, video and/or tape recorders must not be used during performances
  16. The Corn Exchange Wallingford the Sinodun Players Amateur Dramatic Society, Sinodun Players Ltd. and the Festival Organiser(s) accept no liability for injury to persons taking part in the Festival or for loss or damage to the property of such persons. Entrants are advised to acquire suitable insurance to cover possible liability
  17. The Adjudicator’s decision in the competition is final
  18. No company entering the festival will have access to rehearse their Festival play on the Corn Exchange stage. Any company performing or rehearsing their entry on the Corn Exchange stage prior to the Festival will render their entry null and void
  19. The Festival is for amateur dramatic societies and their members. Any member of a company who has taken part in a professional dramatic production, whether on stage or screen (acting or otherwise), should declare this to the organisers – who reserve the right to refuse permission for any such person to take an acting part in a Festival entry or to ask the Adjudicator to take the fact into consideration when judging the production
  20. For each minute over the allotted time the Adjudicator will deduct points as follows: For each minute of overrun up to five minutes – 1 point per minute (or part); for each minute of overrun for the next five minutes -5 points per minute (or part); for each minute of overrun beyond ten minutes – 10 points per minute (or part)