Members Area
Members Area
There were prizes-a-plenty at this year’s Phoebe Rees Awards Ceremony despite it being the strangest affair in the history of the competition. Not only did Covid-19 cut the competition down in its prime when government precautions required us all to go into lockdown, but ongoing restrictions meant that this year’s ceremony was held online. In a break with tradition, the nominations were not announced in advance and so the ceremony was of huge interest to everyone concerned and full of wonderful surprises. Despite the fact the competition had been curtailed, standards were very high and moderator Philip de Glanville said that the standards were such that the winners would have probably been at the top even with a full complement. He expressed his sympathy for those societies that had been unable to perform, particularly those where the productions were curtailed shortly before the opening night.
Unlike the previous SFD online ceremonies, this presentation had been prerecorded and edited to allow the adjudicators to contribute and pictures from the plays to be displayed, a welcome initiative as it brought to life some of the excellent sets, costumes and characterisations. When we heard about the wonders of Sammy the Dog in Goodnight Mr Tom, for example, we could actually see it on the screen. Thanks to Philip and all the team for putting it together and editing it so well.
It was presented as a YouTube Premiere, which meant we could all see it together but we could not scroll forward to the end to see the winners! It also means that the show is still available to view on YouTube.
Sadly, adjudicator Lyn Lockyer could not be present due to a family bereavement but June Jenkins and Liz Holliss were on hand to tell us about the plays they had seen and give us some interesting insights into the shows, both on stage and behind the scene. Philip had a busy night because he told us all about the plays he had adjudicated as well as reading Lyn’s words to us about the plays she had seen. All of which made for a thoroughly entertaining evening for everyone involved in this season’s productions.
Congratulations to everyone who was nominated and to all the winners. All the nominations and winners are shown below (winners in red):
Nominations 19/20 by Category
Best Effects
Regeneration – Swan Theatre Co
Goodnight Mister Tom – Barnstormers
Beauty & The Beast – IES
Constellations – Swan Theatre Co
Deathtrap – Taunton Thespians
Best Sound
Regeneration – Swan Theatre Co
Habeas Corpus – Tickenham Drama Group
Goodnight Mister Tom – Barnstormers
Best Lighting
Mayfly – Street Theatre Co
Regeneration – Swan Theatre Co
Beauty & The Beast – IES
Constellations – Swan Theatre Co
Best Props
Goodnight Mister Tom – Barnstormers
Deathtrap – Taunton Thespians
Best Costumes
Goodnight Mister Tom – Barnstormers
Beauty & The Beast – IES
Best Stage Management
Cold Comfort Farm – West Huntspill
Regeneration – Swan Theatre Co
Deathtrap – Taunton Thespians
Best Set Construction
Anne of Green Gables – Wells Little Theatre
When We Are Married – Taunton Thespians
Laying The Ghost – Civic Players
Deathtrap – Taunton Thespians
Best Creative Set Design
Anne of Green Gables – Wells Little Theatre
Regeneration – Swan Theatre Co
Goodnight Mister Tom – Barnstormers
Constellations – Swan Theatre Co
Deathtrap – Taunton Thespians
Best Artistic Impression
Cold Comfort Farm – West Huntspill
When We Are Married – Taunton Thespians
Regeneration – Swan Theatre Co
Goodnight Mister Tom – Barnstormers
Best Youth U16
Matilda Friend as Anne Shirley – Wells Little Theatre
George Littlefield as William Beech – Goodnight Mister Tom, Barnstormers
Benjamin Johnson as Zach – Goodnight Mister Tom, Barnstormers
Best Youth U21 Female
None
Best Youth U21 Male
Locryn Gadd as Harry, Mayfly – Street Theatre Co
Liam Beard as Seigfried Sasson, Regeneration – Swan Theatre Co
Will Butcher as Robert Graves, Regeneration – Swan Theatre Co
Best Female Cameo
Sarah Stott as Mrs Blewitt, Anne of Green Gables – Wells Little Theatre
Monica Baker as Mrs Beetle, Cold Comfort Farm – West Huntspill
Christine Peters as Gladys etc, Goodnight Mister Tom – Barnstormers
Maddie Lowe as Rabbit, Beauty & The Beast – IES
Best Male Cameo
Alastair Giles as Sneller, Cold Comfort Farm – West Huntspill
Tim Knowles as Rev Clement Mercer, When We Are Married – Taunton Thespians
Mark Payne as Capt Burns, Regeneration – Swan Theatre Co
Clive Wooldridge as Mr Stelton, Goodnight Mister Tom – Barnstormers
Best Featured Female Actor
Emma James as Mrs Rachel Lynde, Anne of Green Gables – Wells Little Theatre
Tania Leigh as Meriam, Cold Comfort Farm – West Huntspill
Amy Bullock as Sammy, Goodnight Mister Tom – Barnstormers
Cheryl Thomasgood as Mrs Beech, Goodnight Mister Tom – Barnstormers
Best Featured Male Actor
Alan Coles as Ormonroyd, When We Are Married – Taunton Thespians
Sebastian Thrower as Wilfred Owen, Regeneration – Swan Theatre Co
Brian Williams as Callan, Regeneration – Swan Theatre Co
Neil Morgan as Porter Milgrew, Deathtrap – Taunton Thespians
James Locke as Dennis, Habeas Corpus – Tickenham Theatre Group
Best Supporting Female Actor
Lorna Evans as Clara Soppitt, When We Are Married – Taunton Thespians
Carole Price as Connie, Habeas Corpus – Tickenham Theatre Group
Chloe Thurlow as Felicity, Habeas Corpus – Tickenham Theatre Group
Jo Simpson as Freda Deacon, Laying The Ghost – Civic Players
Lynne Wooldridge as Mrs Fletcher, Sister – Goodnight Mister Tom – Barnstormers
Best Supporting Male Actor
Ken Edmonds as Matthew Cuthbert, Anne of Green Gables – Wells Little Theatre
Alan Jarvis as Adam, Cold Comfort Farm – West Huntspill
Dave Goodall as Herbert Soppitt, When We Are Married – Taunton Thespians
Cameron Thrower as Billy Prior, Regeneration – Swan Theatre Co
Best Female Actor
Doreen Grant as Marilla Cuthbert, Anne of Green Gables – Wells Little Theatre
Victoria Dean as Flora Poste, Cold Comfort Farm – West Huntspill
Karen Trevis as Cat, Mayfly – Street Theatre Co
Becky Kingsley-Jones as Muriel, Habeas Corpus – Tickenham Theatre Group
Elizabeth Lewis as Marianne, Constellations – Swan Theatre Co
Best Male Actor
Andy Busby as Joe Helliwell, When We Are Married – Taunton Thespians
Paul Townsend as Ben, Mayfly – Street Theatre Co
Robert Graydon as Capt Rivers, Regeneration – Swan Theatre Co
Philip Kingsley-Jones as Dr Arthur Wickstead, Habeas Corpus – Tickenham Theatre Group
Neil Wilson as Tom Oakley, Goodnight Mister Tom – Barnstormers
Oliver Delafield as Roland, Constellations – Swan Theatre Co
George Crocker Challenge Trophy
Bobby Bass, Anne of Green Gables – Wells Little Theatre
June Jenkins, Cold Comfort Farm – West Huntspill
Chris Williamson, Beauty & The Beast – IES
Amy Bullock as Sammy the dog, Goodnight Mister Tom– Barnstormers
Champagne Moment
Feeding Aunt Ada, Cold Comfort Farm – West Huntspill
The bull, Cold Comfort Farm – West Huntspill
The opening bombardment, Regeneration – Swan Theatre Co
The fall of poppies at the end, Regeneration – Swan Theatre Co
Clifford’s ‘resurrection’ in Deathtrap – Taunton Thespians
Best Direction
June Jenkins for Cold Comfort Farm – West Huntspill
Neil Howiantz for Mayfly – Street Theatre Co
Mark Payne for Regeneration – Swan Theatre Co
Jane Leakey for Deathtrap – Taunton Thespians
Gordon Neagle Cup
West Huntspill Players for Cold Comfort Farm
Tickenham Drama Group for Habeas Corpus
Best Production
Mayfly – Street Theatre
Regeneration – Swan Theatre Co
Goodnight Mister Tom – Barnstormers
Deathtrap – Taunton Thespians