Last weekend, The Peterborough Drama Festival showcased an inspiring range of talent through choral speaking performances, acting, prose reading, verse speaking, duologues, storytelling and prepared speech

The annual event was held over two days with over 90 performers taking part in individual syllabus classes which covered a full range of dramatic arts and disciplines on Saturday; as well as 8 school groups taking part in the choral speaking showcase on Friday afternoon.

Festival Chair, Pam Tedcastle, said: “We are delighted with this year’s festival. The number of entries has grown steadily over the past three years and we are very optimistic about the future of the festival, which we know benefits the development of all young people giving them such confidence in both vocal and performance skills.

"This year our new venue at Brookside Methodist Church was also a great success and we hope to return next year. We would like to thank all parents and teachers who have trained and supported all entrants. We look forward to seeing all individual, school and theatre group entries in our 2026 festival.”

Two professional adjudicators, affiliated to the British and International Federation of Festivals, Priscilla Morris and Carol Shroder, spoke highly of the talent showcased. They praised entrants for being imaginative, portraying great characterisation and using superb expression.

Trophy-winners at the Choral Speaking showcase were:

The Peterborough School (Year 2) – The John & Ro Martin Trophy.

St John Henry Newman Catholic Primary School (Years 5 & 6) – The Welwyn Cup.

The Peterborough School (Year 8) – The Julie Cliffe Trophy.

Trophy-winners at the Drama Festival syllabus classes were:

Betty Brown – The Steve Cutts Trophy.

Clara Gilbert – The Kathleen Munford Cup.

Harrison Whitty – The Stamford Studio of Speech and Drama Cup.

Vault Theatre Academy – The Joan Sutton Trophy.

Harrison Whitty – The Mary Nesbitt Cup.

Isla Sansom & Alexa Thompson – The Millennium Cup.

Destiny Noibi – The Peterborough Drama Festival Trophy.

Suzanne Tuck – The Tina Doyle Award.

Jack Dale & Kimberley Brewster – The President’s Cup.

Ayden Taylor – The June Horner Cup.

Morten Seeberg – The Sheila Anstee Trophy.

Isla Liddle – The Cupit Shield.

Oliver Edwards & Scarlett Conway – The Delia Firman Cup.

Vault Theatre Academy – The Queen’s Birthday Cup.

The Peterborough Drama Festival, which has a legacy spanning decades in Peterborough, has set several local youngsters on the road to stardom, some appearing on the London stage, working on television productions and others pursuing drama and the performing arts as a career.

Further information about the Peterborough Drama Festival can be found online at www.peterboroughdramafestival.org.uk