Drama Awards 2011

THE WINNING WRITER

 In the eighth

            “Windsor Kenneth Branagh Award for New Drama Writing”

On October 8^th 2011, after the final performance, the winning writer was announced as chosen by our judges Jenny Seagrove and John Adams.  At the presentation the winner, Tina Jay from Derby received the £500 cheque from  Jenny Seagrove for her play “ Walking”

The runners-up were:

                  ‘” No Occasion To “ by David Gerard Weir from London

                  “All Those Endearing Young Charms” by Peter Harrison of Cheshire.

145 scripts were submitted from writers across the UK, the USA, Eire, Australia, Canada, Sweden, Switzerland and Jersey.  The scripts were numbered and read completely anonymously by 28 readers. The nine short-listed plays were sent, again anonymously, to our judges, who were very impressed by the high standard of this year’s group of writers.

A BRILLIANT AWARDS NIGHT, with three high standard plays. A brilliant, sold-out awards night waited to hear who was the winner and afterwards we celebrated with a Fringe party   THANK YOU TO ALL INVOLVED

3 writers with bubbly from L. Tina Jay, Peter Harrison, David Gerard Weir          

3 directors with bubbly from L. Chloe Faine, Richard Elson, Anthony Shrubsall 

Winning writer being given £500 cheque by Jenny Seagrove

Writer, director and cast of the winning play "WALKING"

TINA JAY ON BEING A WRITER

Seeing “Walking” brought to life at the Windsor Fringe has been a fantastic experience and  I was thrilled to be announced the winner. This is a great event, brought about by the dedication and enthusiasm of a strong team of people and giving the audience the opportunity to enjoy a diverse range of plays. My thanks to Richard Elson, for his brilliant direction and the cast: Jamie Benjamin and Jonny Emmett for their fantastic performances and their strong belief in my play. A big thanks to the judges for such positive and encouraging comments. A thoroughly exciting ,rewarding experience and we’re planning to take “Walking” further.

ALL THOSE ENDEARING YOUNG CHARMS

from L. to R.

Cast of 'No Occasion To'

from L. to R.:

PETER HARRISON 

Once more an intriguing experience.... my fourth time in successive years to reach the short list of the wonderful Fringe Drama Awards, and three years in the final three. Perhaps I should apply for a season ticket!

DAVID GERARD WEIR

When you’re sat on your own, in your room, you have to write first and foremost to entertain yourself. But sitting in a room full of people laughing, drawing in their breath and muttering at the moment the penny drops is as exciting an experience as I know. I was dead lucky to have a director and actors who found things that surprised me even after I’d obsessively read the thing for the 300th. time, and having the chance to get advice from John Adams and jenny Seagrove was priceless. Having your photo on the same page as that Branagh bloke isn’t bad either. Seriously though, the sheer encouragement of seeing your work performed, having people walk up and tell you what they thought and being in the company of others who produced work of that quality is a privilege and an encouragement to get the next one there.

From the left, Lorna Pearson-Hall, director
of Click, with Tracey Palper, stage manager,
Jan Perry and cast members Anna Taylor
and Dom Cook

213 scripts from the UK, Japan, the USA, Eire, Australia, Canada, Spain, Finland, Norway and the Ukraine.
32 Fringe readers
Judges: Jenny Seagrove and John Adams

Shortlisted Plays

• Jan Perry “Click”
• Norman Cowell “The Man of Straw”
• Peter Harrison “We That Are Left”
• Jackie Carreira “Mari”
• Chris P Cooper “Rib Day”
• Richard Fitchett “New England”
• Gillian Led wick “Islands”
• Audrey Lee “Starters for Everyone”
• Sarah Nash “Leaving”
• David Rhys Shannon “Stephen’s Birthday Puzzle”

The Three Winners, in alphabetical order

• Norman Cowell “The Man of Straw” directed by Richard Elson
• Peter Harrison “We That Are Left” directed by Simon Law
• Jan Perry “Click” (overall winner) directed by Lorna Pearson Hall

Winner, Jan Perry,
cutting the celebration cake

Judge Joanne Harris

214 scripts from Australia, Japan, the USA, Canada, the Ukraine and the UK.
27 Fringe Readers
Judges: Joanne Harris and Iqbal Khan

Shortlisted plays

• Kathleen Kiley “Mr Percy and King Lear”
• Peter Harrison “Falling Apart”
• Rick Perrins “The Definite Article”
• Rosey Darbishire “The Power Cut”
• Jeremy Fielding “Reap What You Sow”
• Jenny Klein “Worse”
• Anthony J Matthews “Honour Thy Father”
• Katy Matthews “Poppy”
• Andy McCoy “Ida”

The three winners

• Kathleen Kiley “Mr Percy and King Lear” (overall winner) directed by Mark Holliday
• Peter Harrison “Falling Apart” directed by Barry McCormick
• Rick Perrins “The Definite Article” directed by Francis Watson

The three finalists of the 2009 awards,
from the left, Peter Harrision, Kathleen Kiley
(overall winner), Rick Perrins

Winner Kathleen Kiley with Ruth Taylor from
award sponsor Marriott Hotels

The 2008 finals, from the left, Rupert Haigh,
Suzy Clements (overall winner) and Andy Gittins

304 scripts from Australia, Austria, Canada, England, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Russia, Scotland, Spain and the USA
45 Fringe Readers
Judges: Kenneth Branagh and Iqbal Khan

Shortlisted Plays

• Heather Cambell "Waiting"
• Suzy Clements "Fairy Lights"
• Dick Curran "Company"
• Andy Gittins "Young Shakspeer"
• Rupert Haigh "The People's Act of Literature"
• Peter Harrison "All Hallow's Eve"
• Catherine Pugh "With Love"
• Judy Walker "Who's the Lucky One"
• Rosemary Zibart "Babe Inc"

The Three Winners, in alphabetical order

• Suzy Clements "Fairy Lights" (overall winner) directed by Pete Gallagher
• Andy Gittins "Young Shakspeer" directed by Lorna Pearson-Hall
• Rupert Haigh "The People's Act of Literature" directed by Peter Frank de Wulf

The 2007 finalists, Shirley Knights,
Simon Lynn (overall winner) and
Jill Bristow with judge Fay Weldon CBE
and Stuart Conry from sponsors
Marriott Hotels

171 scripts from Australia, Crete, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Scotland Sweden, USA and Wales
28 Fringe Readers
Judges: Fay Weldon CBE and Nell Leyshon

Shortlisted Plays

• Mark Baker "Flowers"
• Jill Bristow "The Muddy Pool"
• Paul B Cohen "Intersections"
• Rol Hirst "There's No Future In This"
• Shirley Knights  "All's Fair"
• Simon Lynn "The Last Laugh"
• Jeff Nolan "The Son-in-Law"
• Judy Walker "Frail Elderly"
• Gavin Whenman "The News Room"

The Three Winners

• Jill Bristow "The Muddy Pool" directed by Peter-Frank de Wulf
• Shirley Knights "All's Fair" directed by Joerg Stadler
• Simon Lynn "The Last Laugh" (overall winner) directed by Pete Gallagher

Judge Fay Weldon CBE with the three finalists
for 2006, Richard Roques (overall winner)
Nadia Al Yafai and Julie Ford

145 scripts from Australia, England, Wales, New Zealand, Italy, Isle of Man, Ireland, France and the USA
29 Fringe Readers
Judges: Fay Weldon CBE and Nina Bawden CBE

Shortlisted Plays

• Alan Bardos "Catch"
• Julie Ford "A Woman Thing"
• James Gillingham "Sliced"
• Kenneth Hickey "Song of the Shore"
• Bart Hulley "Mister London"
• Henry Hudson "Semper Fidelis"
• Richard Rocques "Don't Open the Door"
• Kate Snow "Skinning the Hare"
• Nadia Al Yafai "Cafe Cinderella"

The Three Winners

• Julie Ford "A Woman Thing" directed by  Emma Serlin
• Richard Roques "Don't Open the Door" (overall winner) directed by Mark Holliday
• Nadia Al Yafai "Cafe Cinderella" directed by Shane Davey

142 scripts from Australia, England, France, India, Ireland, Israel, Norway, Scotland and the USA
27 Fringe Readers
Judges: Fay Weldon CBE and Nell Dunn

Shortlisted Plays

• Leslie Bown and Ann Gawthorpe "Ashes to Ashes"
• Victoria Donaghue "One Last Wave"
• Catherine Franklin "Interior Monologue"
• Debbie Giggle "A Bed to Die For"
• David Hendon "The Bench"
• Michael Hennessy "The Nearly Man"
• Mark Orford "Winds of Change"
• Robert Shore "The Critic"

The Three Winners

• Victoria Donaghue "One Last Wave" directed by John Bruce
• Debbie Giggle "A Bed to Die For" directed by Donald Sturrock
• Robert Shore "The Critic" (overall winner) directed by Nigel Lawson Dick

176 scripts from Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the USA
24 Fringe Readers
Judges: Hilary Mantel and Howard Panter

Shortlisted Plays

• Martin Duckworth "Late"
• Kevin Khayat "Made by Mother"
• Anne Picken "Coup de Grace"
• Derek Sellen "The Honey Bucket Man"
• Helen Shay "Fit Piece"
• Jamie Wilkes "One Man and His Dog"

The Three Winners

• Martin Duckworth "Late" (overall winner) directed by John Bruce
• Helen Shay "Fit Piece" directed by Peter Stallwood
• Anne Picken "Coup de Grace" directed by Anne Keene and Mary Simpson