Benderloch pair take a bow at drama festival

Benderloch and North Connel Drama Club came home from a newly resurrected Kintyre Drama Festival with six trophies under its belt.

 

Performing A Flock Tigers by John Finnimore, Michael Rowell and Marian Milarvie brought the radio play to life on the stage with a performance praised by adjudicator Bruce Adam as being from ''two obviously experienced actors''.

 

Set in 1934, the comedy of misunderstandings is based around two strangers - repressed businessman Edmund and inquisitive American Dolorosa - meeting in a railway carriage.

 

Mr Adam said there was a good contrast between the characters and some nice comic timing, and added that the production was managed with some skill, even though there was little opportunity for movement within a railway carriage.

 

The drama festival itself made a triumphant return to the Victoria Hall in Campbeltown, with three excellent productions playing to a packed house.

 

Adjudicator Bruce Adam made very positive and constructive comments to all participants in the Scottish Community Drama Association district event, which was last held in 2020, just weeks before the first Covid-19 lockdown.

 

Also performing was Dalintober Drama Club's enthusiastic young cast in Back to the Summer by Wade Bradford,  a time-travelling musical extravaganza.

 

The evening's final play was by Campbeltown's own Accent Players – Eric Spence, Maureen Johnson, Martha Rennie and Kim Lafferty – with their performance of John H Newmeir's Simply the Best.

 

Benderloch and North Connel was awarded first prize, as well as the trophies for best production (Enniskillen Quaich); best moment of theatre (The Visitors’ Quaich): best comedy performance (John Bryce Salver): Michael Rowell; team gaining the highest marks for acting (Jenny Black Memorial Trophy): and most entertaining play (Hilda McSporran Memorial Trophy).

 

Accent Players were placed second and Dalintober the youth winners and third.

 

The Benderloch production now travels to Dunoon on March 18 for the West of Scotland regional final.

 

"attachment_886147" "aligncenter" "227"] Adjudicator Bruce Adam made very positive and constructive comments to all participants.