Stamford director and Market Deeping actor pick up awards at All England Theatre Festival

The premiere of a one-act play has scooped awards for a local director and actor.

Stamford-based director Matthew Clift, together with a three-strong cast, staged his one-act authorised adaptation of Howard Brenton’s WARMIND at the central heats of the All England Theatre Festival at Leicester’s Little Theatre on March 14.

As well as earning a hat-trick of awards, the performance was good enough to win the regional heat and reach the festival’s quarter-finals at Stone, in Staffordshire, on May 10. Before that they will take the play to a Birmingham theatre festival on April 27.

“It was a very hectic event with three companies performing over the evening,” said Matthew.

“We were on last so had plenty of time to prepare and battle any last-minute nerves.”

There was no hint of stage fright among the cast who helped land the Best Overall Production, while Matthew picked up the Best Director prize.

“The adjudicator, Cherry Stephenson, was impressed with what we did with the play, bearing in mind there was very little detail on the page from the adaptation of Howard Brenton's plays in terms of stage directions or clues to the characters,” Matthew explained.

“We are obviously delighted and we look forward to performing again, alongside the Birmingham performance.”

Ben Stroud, from Market Deeping, completed the awards treble by being named Best Actor for his diverse performance as Tom, working alongside Oakham actor Ellie Dickinson, and Peterborough-based Nikki Amory.

“During the play he had to portray an 11-year-old boy, an Agatha Christie-style police inspector and a wounded German soldier,” added Matthew, who has twice reached the national final.