Belfast Hosts 84th British Festival Final 8th-9th July 2017
The time had come for the four champions to meet for the title of British 1-Act Champions. Four clubs would fight it out to be crowned the British Champions. These teams had survived from District > Divisional>Country and now going head to head at the MAC (Metropolitan Arts Centre) Theatre, Belfast. The festival would be over two days and Walker Ewart, a well respected Adjudicator would be landed with the task of picking the overall Festival Champion . Teams from Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England were ready to give the best performance to win the coveted Howard de Walden Trophy. I was asked to be official photographer for the event. The festival would be over two days with the presentation of the trophy at the end of the festival.
Northern Ireland – Bangor Drama Club: The Galway Girl by Geraldine Aron
Bangor Drama Club opened the 84th 1 Act British Final on 7th July 2017 with Geraldine Aron’s “Galway Girl”. Two actors portray marriage between two different classes through the years using a small set.
(1) Galway Girl – Bangor Drama Club
(1) Galway Girl – Technical details: Pentax K-1, Sigma f2.8, 70-200 mm Zoom @ 180 mm, Shutter 1/30th sec ISO 3200
Scotland – Aberfeldy Drama Club: Ring Road by Anita Vettese
Set in a run- down hotel. Lisa whose marriage to Paul was breaking down over their inability to have children had arranged to meet Mark, her brother in law with a view to getting her pregnant.
(2) Ring Road – Aberfeldy Drama Club
(2) Technical details: Pentax K-1, Sigma f2.8, 70-200 mm Zoom @ 200 mm, Shutter 1/80th sec ISO 3200
The completion of the Aberfeldy play signalled the end of the competition for that night.
Civic Reception: Belfast City Hall.
Saturday saw the clubs and representatives of the 4 nations at a Civic Reception hosted by Belfast City Council. The guest of Honour was Dame Mary Peters CH, DBE and a former Lord Lieutenant of the City of Belfast.
(3) Walker Ewart (Adjudicator), Mary Peters, President of AUDF and the High Sheriff of Belfast
(3) Technical details: Technical details: Pentax K-1, Sigma 150-200 mm Zoom @ 35 mm, f2.8, Shutter 1/80th sec ISO 400
England – Total Arts Community Theatre: Lear’s Daughters by Elaine Feinstein & the Women’s Theatre Workshop
Total Arts Community Theatre presented Lear’s Daughters by Elaine Feinstein & the Women’s Theatre Workshop opened the second night of the festival.
(4) Total Arts Community Theatre: Lear’s Daughters
(4) Technical details: Technical details:Pentax K-1, Sigma 150-200 mm Zoom f3.2, Shutter 1/160th sec ISO 3200
Wales – The Unknown Outcasts: Future Shock by Richard Stockwell
The Unknown Outcasts: Future Shock by Richard Stockwell
(5) Technical details:Technical details: Pentax K-1, Sigma 150-200 mm Zoom @ 180 mm, f2.8, Shutter 1/125th sec ISO 3200
Presentation of Howard de Walden Trophy
Walker Ewart (Adjudicator) had the daunting task of marking these four plays, not an easy task. The final decision made and the All British Champion of the 2017 Open 1-Act Festival was:
