A bit of drama as Lorn Festival moves dates

After an absence of two years Lorn Drama Festival are getting ready to raise the curtain in 2022 and are looking for would-be thespians to join their show.

 

The popular event usually takes place annually in March but after the enforced break, the organising committee has decided to move it to later in the year. The 2022 festival will take place in the Corran Halls between May 3 and 7.

 

Mike Rowell, chairman of the organising committee explained the move to the May date: 'We are moving from the March dates to give groups with winter shows more rehearsal time and we hope to attract more teams from the central belt.

 

'We also hope that the festival may be an entertaining night out for any visitors in the town at the beginning of May.'

 

The Lorn Drama Festival is open to any amateur group who wish to perform a one-act play. The plays should be between 20 to 55 minutes long and have at least two speaking parts.

 

Plays can be either published scripts or written specially for the festival. There is even a special playwriting prize for dramas in their first production.

 

To take part, teams don’t have to be part of a recognised drama club but can be any group of people interested in taking part - schools, SWRI groups and Young Farmers have all contributed teams in the past. Writers’ groups and other artistic clubs may want to try their hands at performance.

 

There is no entry fee for the festival, but teams are responsible for their own production costs, including any licensing costs for their play.

 

The festival will assist with travel and accommodation costs, and will cover venue and marketing costs for all the performances. Advice and assistance on staging productions are also available for groups who are new to it.

 

Teams perform in front of a paying audience and an adjudicator, who gives feedback on each performance and, at the end of the festival, awards trophies for the best productions.

 

The adjudicator is always a respected theatre professional who can share their experience and give advice and encouragement to the performers.

 

Any groups interested in taking part should contact Lorn Drama Festival via their Facebook page. They would also like to hear from any individuals interested in drama who are not connected to a club and the festival will put you in touch with like-minded people in your area.