BHAC DRAMA AWARDS 2016
Adjudicator: Trevor Jones *
Six exciting productions competed this year for these coveted awards. Who won?
Accidental Death of an Anarchist by Dario Fo
The Barn Theatre, Southwick
Winner of BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS (The Mike Padley Award) – Emily Hale
Winner of BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR (The Mike Padley Award) – Guy Steddon
A sharp and hilarious satire on political corruption, it concerns the case of an anarchist railway worker who, it was claimed, ‘fell’ to his death from a police headquarters’ window in 1969.
It is a stinging attack upon the black arts of government cover-up, manipulation and mendacity which can be watched safe in the knowledge that it happened a long way away and could never possibly happen here.
Blue Remembered Hills by Dennis Potter
The Barn Theatre, Southwick
Winner of BEST SET DESIGN – Martin Oakley
Winner of BEST LIGHTING DESIGN – Beverly Grover
Winner of BEST ACTOR – Tobias Clay
Winner of BEST TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT – for the burning barn effect
Winner of ARTHUR CHURCHILL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE
Dennis Potter’s examination of memory and childhood, set in the impoverished Forest of Dean during WW2. A hilarious and incredibly moving story, Potter is able to emphasise the darker aspects of children’s innocence and imagination, creating an altogether more complex and ambivalent picture of that “land of lost content”.
On an idyllic summer afternoon in 1943, a group of children play in the West Country hills, fields and forests. With no adults around they indulge in spontaneous games and horseplay – sometimes echoing the distant war, at other times revealing their own insecurities and petty vindictiveness. But as they tease, fantasise and fight the day away, their innocence is about to be destroyed for ever…
Gaslight by Patrick Hamilton
Rottingdean Village Hall
Winner of BEST COSTUME DESIGN – Audrey Pickles
This classic thriller is set in Victorian London. Jack Manningham is slowly, deliberately, driving his wife, Bella, insane. He has almost succeeded when help arrives in the form of a retired detective, Rough, who believes Manningham to be a thief and murderer. Aided by Bella, Rough proves Manningham’s true identity and finally Bella achieves a few moments of sweet revenge for the suffering inflicted on her.
The Lifesavers by Fraser Grace
Burgess Hill Theatre
Winner of BEST PUBLICITY – Phil Hawkins
Winner of COFFIN MEW AWARD – for the accomplished use of sign language
What if the world had changed? What if parenthood was forbidden? What if you broke the rule?
The Lifesavers is a dystopian thriller set in a world where private parenting is outlawed and all children are raised by the state. One couple risk everything to defy the system.
The Clean House by Sarah Ruhl
New Venture Theatre
Winner of BEST STAGE CREW – Matt Bosica and crew
Winner of BEST ACTRESS – Kerri Frost
A beautiful play about love, death and the messiness of life. At times dreamlike and poetic, at others acerbic and very funny. Full of magic realism.
Bouncers by John Godber
Lancing Parish Hall
Winner of BEST SOUND DESIGN – Ian Black
Winner of GABBUS DENNEY AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR – Linsay Oliver
Winner of BEA WATERS CHALLENGE CUP FOR BEST OVERALL PRODUCTION
Bursting with imagination and wit and presented by just four actors, Bouncers is an outrageous and hilarious parody of the disco scene. The four brutish bouncers of the title portray over twenty different characters as we are invited for a night out on the town. We see them as giggly girls and lads on the make preparing for the big night out as we follow their progress to the disco floor. There, we also meet an entire cross-section of disco-goers, including Hooray Henrys, pogoing punks and drunken slobs! The evening’s events are set against the tatty glitzy glamour, flashing lights and pulsating beat of the night-club scene.
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Entertainment at the Awards Evening this year was beautifully provided by Tracy Jane Sullivan
The BHAC Drama Awards 2016 were organised by our committee member, Kate Armes, and we’d like to thank her for the huge amount of time and energy that she devoted to it over several months. Our thanks also go to our Chairman, Vaughan Rees, and committee member, John Hird, for their support, to Trevor Jones for his adjudications, to Mark O’Halloran from our sponsors, Coffin Mew, to local photographer, Nick Ford, for his great photos, and lastly to the six drama groups which took part this year and provided some wonderful shows! A big thank you to everyone!
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If any drama group, or individual, would like high-definition copies of any of the photographs above then please contact Nick at his Brighton studio and he’ll be delighted to arrange this for you.
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* Trevor Jones has adjudicated this year’s BHAC Drama Awards. Trevor has worked extensively in theatre for over forty-five years in all the major regional cities in the UK. In the West End he has appeared in “The Boyfriend”, “Cancer”, “Godspell”, “Streamers”, “Happy as a Sandbag”, and two productions at The Arts Theatre as well as in Steven Berkoff’s “East” at the National Theatre and in its West End run.
He appeared in the New York Off Broadway and London productions of “Narnia” by C.S.Lewis and in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in Barbados – both productions directed by Christopher Biggins.
National UK tours include “Taking Steps”, “Jesus Christ Superstar”, “The Frogs”, “A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum” and “Godspell”, whilst regional theatre productions include “Hamlet”, “The Little Foxes”, “Othello”, “The Ghost Train”, “Coriolanus”, “Lady From The Sea”, “Side By Side by Sondheim”, “See How They Run” – and several pantomimes playing everything from Baron Hardup to Jack in “Jack and the Beanstalk” and an ugly sister in “Cinderella”.
Recently Trevor was delighted to be reunited with director Michael Strassen and composer lyricist Mark Carroll for the stage musical version of “Duncton Wood” at The Union Theatre, London .
We were delighted to welcome Trevor as our Adjudicator of BHAC Drama Awards 2016.
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Showing a more informal view of the Awards night, don’t miss the photos on our Facebook page
