Leitheatre win One Acts
SCDA One Act Festival Winners Announced
Leitheatre has won the Edinburgh and District round of the SCDA one act play festival with a production of Evelyn Hood’s A Wake for Donald.
Runner up was the Edinburgh Graduate Theatre Group with their take on Mike Bartlett’s two-hander, Contractions. Coming third and joining them in the next round of the competition was the Edinburgh Makars with Charles Mander’s Getting On.
Best Stage Presentation winner – Leitheatre’s Wake for Donald. Set by Derek Blackwood. Photo: Walter Hampson
Nine productions entered this year’s competition, which was held Thursday 16 – Saturday 18 February 2017 at the Church Hill Theatre. These included two productions in contention for the youth section, which was won by Indelible Arts Youth Theatre – North Berwick, with Philip Ridley’s Sparkleshark.
The winning play, A Wake for Donald, was directed by Christine Dall and featured Martin Dick, Mike Paton and Liza Shackleton. The production also won the trophies for Best Stage Presentation and Highest Marks For Production.
The Grads’ production of Contractions was directed by Naomi Wallis-Ryder and featured Hilary Davies with Imogen Lucy Reiter – who were awarded the trophy for highest marks in acting.
The Edinburgh Makars production of Getting On by Charles Mander came third. It was directed by Sheila Clarke and featured Derek Melon, Emma Swift, Hamish Hunter, Betty Douglas and Tom Brown.
A Wake for Donald, Contractions and Getting On will represent Edinburgh in the Eastern Divisional Final which will be held at the Albert Halls, Stirling from 23 to 25 March, 2017.
Imogen Lucy Reiter and Hilary Davies in Contractions from The Grads. Photo Walter Hampson
It seems that winning the youth section with Sparkleshark was not enough for Indelible Arts Youth Theatre – North Berwick. The company also won the shield for Best First Entry, for which they were eligible alongside Indelible Arts Youth Theatre’s Haddington branch and Caveat Theatre which entered two plays written by company member Jean Dallman.
Sparkleshark was also the recipient of the Emergency Panel’s nod for Best Moment In Theatre. This moment was when the cast go to chase the dragon – it was choreographed to the theme from Thunderbirds, “5 4 3 2 1 Thunderbirds are go – and then mayhem erupted”. As this is not suggested by the script, the panel thought it a very creative piece of inspiration.
The company will represent Edinburgh at the Eastern Divisional Youth Final at Church Hill Theatre on Sunday 9 April.
“And then mayhem erupted” – The Best Moment in Theatre, in Sparkleshark from Indelible Arts Youth Theatre – North Berwick. Photo Walter Hampson
ENDS
