Drama festival showcased young talent in Peterborough

Ages of those taking part ranged from infant to adult and audience members were able to enjoy a wide range of entertainment covering prose reading, solo and duo acting, choral speaking, mime, verse, Bible reading, improvisation and Shakespeare.

A total of 47 cups, trophies and shields were presented to winning contestants.

The Peterborough Festival is affiliated to the British Federation of Festivals and this year’s professional adjudicators were Samantha Tucker and Jonathan Owen.

After the Festival, Jonathan, who has worked extensively on radio, television and stage, wrote: “There is always a genuine buzz of excitement from all the performers and their families. They are so enthusiastic, and genuinely care about their performances. It is obvious they put so much thought and hard work into preparing for the Festival.”

The Peterborough Festival can trace its roots back to 1929, though at the time it was a mixture of acting and music. The two disciplines split in 1945 and the Peterborough Drama Festival was born.

In this year’s programme, festival chairman Pam Tedcastle wrote: “Participation in the Festival fulfils many of the criteria outlined in the National Curriculum and we firmly believe that preparing for the Festival and performing is instrumental in encouraging a love of arts, good communication skills and self-discipline.”