Falcon Players hit the target again

The Falcon Players took a step forward on Saturday at the Stanford Hall Theatre when they won the Eastern Divisional Final of the All England Theatre Festival. Competitors for the trophy came from Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Leicestershire.

Their play "Roll Over .... Play Dead", was adjudged a clear winner by the adjudicator, Shiela Howells, who said the standard reached was amongst the best she had seen for many years.

Falcon Players actors Sally and Keith Hague and Lawrence Holmes were all individually complimented for their dedication and the way they had immersed themselves in what was considered to be a play that put great emotional demands on its cast.

Local playwright Ted Sharpe, who wrote and directed the play, told the Echo: "I am delighted with this success for the Falcon Players. When you consider we were competing with the work of Noel Coward, Harold Pinter and Richard Harris, you can perhaps understand why."

The group travel to the Playhouse, Weston-super-Mare on May 16 for the next round, which is the final eliminating competition for entry into the All England finals to be held in June in Bristol.