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Speech & Drama Classes

Saturday 1st March - Sunday 16th March 2025

Adjudicators: 

 TBC
 

SPEECH SECTION
  • All verse speaking to be performed from memory
  • All entrants are expected to dress appropriately (See Regulation 6)
  • Entrants who disregard these regulations are liable to be penalised

VERSE SPEAKING (SET POEMS)

You can download a booklet containing the poems from here. Note that there may be different wordings in different published editions and performances will be judged according to the versions in the poem booklet we provide.
S0 Reception Year & Under   £13.00

My Shell by Matt Goodfellow OR

And Suddenly Spring by Margaret Hillert OR

Magic by Shel Silverstein
S1 School Year 1   £13.00

A Frog in a Well Explains the World by Alice Schertle OR

Crick, Crack, Crocodile! by Joan Poulson OR

Ten Things Found in a Wizard's Pocket by Ian McMillan
S2 School Year 2   £13.00

It's Only the Storm by David Greygoose OR

How to Get There by Bonnie Nims OR

Flint by Christina Rossetti
S3 School Year 3   £14.50

Country Cat by Elizabeth Coatsworth OR

Sand by Carol Ann Duffy OR

Sergeant Brown's Parrot by Kit Wright
S4 School Year 4   £14.50

Winter is a Wolf by Grace Cornell Tall OR

The Old Field by D. J. Enright OR

The Hippopotamus's Birthday by E. V. Rieu
S5 School Year 5   £14.50

Books Have Helped Me by Joseph Coelho OR

The Word Party by Richard Edwards OR

Lucky Star by Eleanor Farjeon
S6 School Year 6   £14.50

Jack Frost is Playing Cards at the Roadside by Brian Patten OR

If I Were in Charge of the World by Judith Viorst OR

Pencil Me In by Benjamin Zephaniah
S7 School Year 7   £15.50

About Standing (In Kinship) by Kimberly Blaeser OR

November Evening by Gerald Bullett OR

Overheard on a Saltmarsh by Harold Monro
S8 School Year 8   £15.50

Stage Directions for Bluebells by Dinah Hendry OR

Casting a Spell by Elizabeth Jennings OR

The Song of the Mischievous Dog by Dylan Thomas
S9 School Years 9 & 10   £15.50

Abou Ben Adhem by Leigh Hunt OR

The Moment by Kathleen Raine OR

The Lake Isle of Innisfree by W. B. Yeats
S10 School Years 11 — 13   £16.50

Filling Station by Elizabeth Bishop OR

Cat in an Empty Apartment by Wislawa Szymborska OR

The Squirrel by Ian Serraillier

VERSE SPEAKING (OWN CHOICE – But NOT a set poem listed above)
S11 Reception Year & Under 1 min £13.00
S12 School Year 1 1 min £13.00
S13 School Year 2 2 mins £13.00
S14 School Year 3 2 mins £14.50
S15 School Year 4 2 mins £14.50
S16 School Year 5 2 mins £14.50
S17 School Year 6 2 mins £14.50
S18 School Years 7 & 8 3 mins £15.50
S19 School Years 9 & 10 3 mins £15.50
S20 School Years 11 — 13 3 mins £16.50

PROSE READING (OWN CHOICE)
  • The chosen piece of prose must be read from the pages of the book itself
S23 School Years 2 & Under 2 mins £13.00
S24 School Year 3 2 mins £14.50
S25 School Year 4 2 mins £14.50
S26 School Year 5 2 mins £14.50
S27 School Year 6 2 mins £14.50
S28 School Year 7 3 mins £15.50
S29 School Year 8 3 mins £15.50
S30 School Year 9 & 10 3 mins £15.50
S31 School Years 11 — 13 3 mins £16.50

PUBLIC SPEAKING
  • Prepared speech / talk on any topic
  • Notes and visual aids permitted
S33 School Years 6 & Under 3 mins £14.50
S34 School Years 7 — 9 4 mins £15.50
S35 School Years 10 — 13 4 mins £16.50

SIGHT READING
  • Competitors are given a short prose passage to read aloud
  • 2 minutes are allowed for preparation
S36 School Years 3 & 4   £14.50
S37 School Years 5 & 6   £14.50
S38 School Years 7 — 9   £15.50
S39 School Years 10 — 13   £16.50

DRAMA SECTION

MIME
  • Own choice of subject
  • Practice clothes only to be worn (white or black shirt, blouse or T-shirt; black trousers or tights)
  • No music, costumes or hand props to be used
  • Solo - One stage block OR one chair is permitted
  • Duologue - Two stage blocks OR two chairs
  • A title should be announced but no introduction or verbal explanation given
  • Bare feet or soft footwear to be worn

Solo
S40 School Years 6 & Under 3 mins £14.50
S41 School Years 7 — 9 4 mins £15.50
S42 School Years 10 — 13 4 mins £16.50

Duologue
S43 School Years 6 & Under 4 mins £22.00
S44 School Years 7 — 9 5 mins £23.00
S45 School Years 10 — 13 5 mins £24.00

ACTING
  • All Own choice
  • All classes must be performed from memory – no script reading
  • Costume or Practice clothes (white or black shirt, blouse or T-shirt; black trousers or black skirt) should be worn. NB : No extra marks will be awarded for costume
  • Appropriate footwear should be worn to suit the character
  • Hand props and music may be used
  • Chairs and tables (also stage blocks at the Pump House) are provided

SHAKESPEAREAN

Solo
S46 School Years 7 — 9 4 mins £15.50
S47 School Years 10 — 13 4 mins £16.50

Duologue
S48 School Years 7 — 9 5 mins £23.00
S49 School Years 10 — 13 5 mins £24.00

SCENE FROM A PLAY, SCREENPLAY, ADAPTED PROSE OR MONOLOGUE (excluding Shakespearean)

Solo
S50 School Years 4 & Under 3 mins £14.50
S51 School Years 5 & 6 3 mins £14.50
S52 School Years 7 — 9 4 mins £15.50
S53 School Years 10 — 13 4 mins £16.50

Duologue
  • * Please see note 4.4 in Regulations & General Information
S54 School Years 4 & Under 4 mins £22.00
S55 School Years 5 & 6 4 mins £22.00
S56 School Years 7 — 9 5 mins £23.00
S57 School Years 10 — 13 5 mins £24.00

ADULT ACTING - SCENE FROM A PLAY, SCREENPLAY, ADAPTED PROSE OR MONOLOGUE

Solo
S74 Adult 4 mins £16.50

GROUPS
  • All Own choice with the exception of Prepared Group Improvisation (Classes S62 - S65)
  • All acting rules apply

GROUP ACTING (Scene from a play, screenplay or novel)
  • Groups of 3 - 8 persons
  • Script required for the adjudicator
S58 School Years 6 & Under 10 mins £68.00
S59 School Years 13 & Under 10 mins £74.00

GROUP ANTHOLOGY
  • Groups of 3 - 8 persons
  • Must use a combination of at least three of the following: music, dance, drama, mime, movement and verse
  • A script of running order/notes must be provided for the adjudicator
  • Must use material from more than one source, though the sources may all be by the same author
S60 School Years 6 & Under 10 mins £68.00
S61 School Years 13 & Under 10 mins £74.00

DEVISED SCENE
  • To prepare a scene inspired by one of the set titles
  • Groups of 3 – 8 persons
  • If an original script evolves through the rehearsal process this is permissible
S62 School Years 6 & Under 4 mins £57.00

Secrets and Lies OR

The Surprise
S63 School Years 9 & Under 5 mins £57.00

The Interview OR

Disappointment
S64 School Years 11 & Under 5 mins £61.00

The Detention OR

Any Minute Now
S65 School Years 13 & Under 5 mins £61.00

Protest March OR

I Deny Everything!