“A WAKE” REAPS THREE AWARDS!
Alderney,27th May 2024: The annual GADOC One Act Play Festival, now in its 74th year, is a real challenge for authors, producers, directors and the casts. This year, for the first time, the Alderney Theatre Group has taken part in this theatrical competition performing a 1-act drama written by Alderney’s most prolific playwright Lee Flewitt, directed by Charlotte Newton and enacted by a 7-strong cast.
Their performance to a packed audience at Beau Sejour on Friday evening 24 May was a resounding success, reaping no less than three trophies and two further nominations with a total score of 87 points (just 1 point less than the winners, the Cheshire Dramatic Arts Academy, an all-female under 18’s cast performing Samuel Beckett’s play “Come and Go”)
In all, 13 plays were performed during the 5-day festival. The judges were clearly impressed by “A WAKE”, its highly original script, the professional directing, the dramatic acting, and the technical aspects of stage management. Adjudicator Ben Humphrey summarised the performance: “A tight and well-disciplined piece of theatre that demonstrated skill in pacing, blocking, characterisation and subtle technical underpinning “.
Ultimately, the Alderney Theatre Group was presented with no less than three trophies and two nominations:
*The Burns Trophy for “best original unpublished play with the highest marks” to Lee Flewitt
*The Edward Willis Trophy for “director with the highest marks for direction” to Charlotte Newton
*The Barbara Minter Trophy (brand new trophy, first time ever awarded) for second place/runner up to “A Wake” with 87 points (the winners beat us by 1 point)
Two further nominations were awarded to:
- Lee Flewitt as most outstanding performance as an individual
- Andree Gaydon-Smith as best supporting actor,
Lee Flewitt’s reaction to this amazing success: “I’m so delighted to have done so well on our very first outing for the Alderney Theatre Group. Everybody shone and I’m so proud of them all.”
“Guernsey gave us such a warm welcome and we are so grateful to everyone who has supported us – especially our Alderney Crew who came with us and the team at the One Act Play Festival for their kindness and cooperation – and the coffin!”
Two weeks prior to their performance in Guernsey, the première of “A WAKE” took place in Alderney on 15 & 16 May to full houses in the Georgian Orangery.
But anybody who would have liked to see this play, will soon be able to watch Cameron Cairnduff’s recording of the Alderney performance on YouTube.
A WAKE – what’s the story?
Asked for a brief synopsis of “A WAKE”, author Lee Flewitt explained: “My play is about a failed actor and alcoholic Michael who has died, leaving a wife, a mother, a sister and several friends behind. “
“But Michael is still awake, waiting to cross over to the next world but held back for some reason he cannot fathom.
“Over the course of his wake, he witnesses home truths and revelations and re- enacts the pivotal moments of his life, until the answers they provide give him the ability to move on.”
Cast: Lee Flewitt, Alex Flewitt, Andrée Gaydon-Smith, Ian Corder, Lucie Woodnutt, Cameron Watson, Rosie Evans.
Producer: Lee Flewitt Director: Charlotte Newton; Prompt: Lisa Sanders
Lighting & special effects: Ronnie Cairnduff Props : Trevor Sanders Publicity: Ilona Soane-Sands
To view photos of the Alderney and Guernsey performances, please click here