Regulations  |  Syllabus & fees  |  Useful information  |  Winners  |  Child Protection Policy  |  Data Protection Policy

 

Printable version

Speech & Drama Classes

Sunday 3rd March - Sunday 17th March 2019

Adjudicators: 

Colin Snell
Tish Nicoll LGSM, DipCE, FESB, MSTSD
Vivienne Redford

COLIN SNELL is based in Preston, a graduate of the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and holds a PGCE in English and Drama from the University of Leeds. He is the artistic director of Parker and Snell Company, based on the Isle of Man, which holds acting classes for young people and adults. He is a former Head of English and Drama in state and independent schools, is a member of the Guild of Drama Adjudicators and The Society of Teachers of Speech and Drama, an adjudicator member of The British and International Federation of Festivals, is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and an examiner for LAMDA. His productions (both adult and youth) have won numerous national drama festivals and been seen in professional theatres, including the National Theatre, the National Student Drama Festival and the Buxton and Edinburgh Fringe Festivals. Many former students have gone into the profession as actors, directors, writers and technicians. He is delighted to be making his first visit to the Watford Festival.

TISH NICOLL was born in Aberdeen and trained at The Guildhall School of Music and Drama. She has a wide range of experience in teaching all age groups in schools, colleges and in the business world and is visiting lecturer in vocal communications in colleges in the UK and in Italy. Tish examines for the English Speaking Board (International) Ltd. As well as ‘Voice Over’ work, she has experience as a performer and a director and is a trained singer, specialising in recitals of poetry and song. From an early age Tish took part in festivals and, as well as being an adjudicator for The British and International Federation of Festivals, still works closely with Chipping Norton Festival after stepping down as their Organiser and Chairman in May 2016.

VIVIENNE REDFORD has been Principal of the Redford School of Speech & Drama for nearly thirty years, training adults and children from across Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire in all aspects of performance and communication. An experienced LAMDA examiner and teacher, Vivienne is also Head of Speech & Drama at a large independent girls’ school in Bedford and runs successful drama classes and summer courses – offering young adults professional instruction in performance and theatre skills. In addition, Vivienne has also directed a diverse range of musical and theatrical productions and many of her former pupils are now working in theatre, film and television across the world. She is an adjudicator for the British and International Federation of Festivals.

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)

Please contact Katherine Barker on 020 8959 7819 or katherine@watfordfestival.co.uk for a booklet containing the poems. 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   £10.50

Footprints by John Travers Moor OR

There are Big Waves by Eleanor Farjeon OR

I had no Friends at All by John Kitching
S1 School Year 1   £10.50

Sunshine by Rose Flint OR

Goodbye Room by Michelle Magorian OR

Flowers by Dave Calder
S2 School Year 2   £10.50

Missing by A.A. Milne OR

Rain sizes by John Ciardi OR

The Black Pebble by James Reeves
S3 School Year 3   £11.50

They Laughed by Angela McAllister OR

Badger by Berlie Doherty OR

The Night is Darkening Round Me by Emily Brontë
S4 School Year 4   £11.50

The Woman of the Water by Adrian Mitchell OR

Good Company by Leonard Clarke OR

Everyday music by James Berry
S5 School Year 5   £11.50

Song of the Rabbits Outside the Tavern by Elizabeth Coatsworth OR

Creative Writing by Gervase Phinn OR

Sensing Mother by Mandy Cole
S6 School Year 6   £11.50

Polite Children by Allan Ahlberg OR

The Oxen by Thomas Hardy OR

Kite by Sarah Boyes
S7 School Year 7   £12.50

A Green Cornfield by Christina Rossetti OR

The Fight by Fred Sedgwick OR

The Kraken by Alfred, Lord Tennyson
S8 School Year 8   £12.50

The Way through the Woods by Rudyard Kipling OR

The Deserted Village by Berlie Doherty OR

The Omen by Muriel Sparks
S9 School Years 9 & 10   £12.50

The house was Quiet and the World was Calm by Wallace Stevens OR

Grannie by Vernon Scannell OR

The Rear Guard by Siegfried Sassoon
S10 School Years 11 — 13   £13.50

Wind up by John Mole OR

The Blind Boxer by WH Davies OR

Nerve by Dinah Livingstone

VERSE SPEAKING (OWN CHOICE – But NOT a set poem listed above)
S11 Reception Year & Under 1 min £10.50
S12 School Year 1 1 min £10.50
S13 School Year 2 2 mins £10.50
S14 School Year 3 2 mins £11.50
S15 School Year 4 2 mins £11.50
S16 School Year 5 2 mins £11.50
S17 School Year 6 2 mins £11.50
S18 School Years 7 & 8 3 mins £12.50
S19 School Years 9 & 10 3 mins £12.50
S20 School Years 11 — 13 3 mins £13.50

SONNET (OWN CHOICE)
S21 School Years 9 & 10   £12.50
S22 School Years 11 — 13   £13.50

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 £10.50
S24 School Year 3 2 mins £11.50
S25 School Year 4 2 mins £11.50
S26 School Year 5 2 mins £11.50
S27 School Year 6 2 mins £11.50
S28 School Year 7 3 mins £12.50
S29 School Year 8 3 mins £12.50
S30 School Year 9 & 10 3 mins £12.50
S31 School Years 11 — 13 3 mins £13.50

STORYTELLING
  • Competitors to tell a story (known or invented) in their own words
  • No costumes
  • Props & visual aids permitted
S32 School Years 6 & Under 3 mins £11.50

PUBLIC SPEAKING
  • Prepared speech / talk on any topic
  • Notes and visual aids permitted
S33 School Years 6 & Under 3 mins £11.50
S34 School Years 7 — 9 4 mins £12.50
S35 School Years 10 — 13 4 mins £13.50

SIGHT READING
  • Competitors are given a short prose passage to read aloud
  • 2 minutes are allowed for preparation
S36 School Years 3 & 4   £11.50
S37 School Years 5 & 6   £11.50
S38 School Years 7 — 9   £12.50
S39 School Years 10 — 13   £13.50

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 £11.50
S41 School Years 7 — 9 4 mins £12.50
S42 School Years 10 — 13 4 mins £13.50

Duologue
S43 School Years 6 & Under 4 mins £18.50
S44 School Years 7 — 9 5 mins £19.50
S45 School Years 10 — 13 5 mins £20.50

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

ELIZABETHAN, JACOBEAN OR RESTORATION

Solo
S46 School Years 7 — 9 4 mins £12.50
S47 School Years 10 — 13 4 mins £13.50

Duologue
S48 School Years 7 — 9 5 mins £19.50
S49 School Years 10 — 13 5 mins £20.50

SCENE FROM A PLAY, SCREENPLAY, ADAPTED PROSE OR MONOLOGUE

(excluding Elizabethan, Jacobean or Restoration)

Solo
S50 School Years 4 & Under 3 mins £11.50
S51 School Years 5 & 6 3 mins £11.50
S52 School Years 7 — 9 4 mins £12.50
S53 School Years 10 — 13 4 mins £13.50

Duologue
  • * Please see note 4.4 in Regulations & General Information
S54 School Years 4 & Under 4 mins £18.50
S55 School Years 5 & 6 4 mins £18.50
S56 School Years 7 — 9 5 mins £19.50
S57 School Years 10 — 13 5 mins £20.50

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 £58.00
S59 School Years 13 & Under 10 mins £63.00

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 £58.00
S61 School Years 13 & Under 10 mins £63.00

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 £47.00

The experiment OR

Birthday Presents
S63 School Years 9 & Under 5 mins £47.00

The Move OR

How Could You Lose it?
S64 School Years 11 & Under 5 mins £51.00

School's out OR

The Last Straw
S65 School Years 13 & Under 5 mins £51.00

Conspiracy OR

Read the Fine Print
Printable version