Here is our final day’s report on an interesting and mostly very enjoyable Festival.  The first play of the afternoon was The Snow Dragons performed by InterACT Youth Theatre from Cheshire.  A lively bunch of kids who threw themselves into the production with great gusto.  Their depiction of a children’s resistance group hiding out in the woods and trying to help their beleaguered relatives in the town had a few nice comic touches and some pathos, although they didn’t manage to grow their characters as the script intended.  However this play was well crafted and enjoyable to watch and the integration of song throughout was very effective.

The second play, Lear’s Daughters by Total Arts Community Theatre – Tamworth, is a prequel to King Lear and explores the emotional turmoil and development of the 3 sisters.  The 3 differing characters of the sisters were well defined and the fool (acting as a sort of MC) and the nurse created an interesting framework for building the ensuing cynicism and hatred for their father and each other.  A powerful and provocative piece of theatre.

The final play was a romp depicting 2 drag queens preparing for their performances in a seedy club.  Untucked was performed by Drama Queens – Cambridge and brought the Festival to a colourful and dramatic conclusion.  The characters were well drawn and the actors made their rather unlikeable personalities worthy of our sympathy.  A very entertaining piece with a good mixture of comedy and pathos. A very different end to a Festival.

A full list of results will be published in due course.

That’s it folks. Thanks to NDFA and farewell.

• Karen & Michael Goodman