Speech & Drama

CLASSES TO BE HELD ON SATURDAY 19th OCTOBER 2024

Speech and Drama Secretary - Mrs C Lawrence

In Speech and Drama Classes competitors and teachers are reminded that own choice pieces should be appropriate to the age of entrants. Likewise, out of consideration to the younger members of the audience, material of an unsuitable or offensive nature will not be considered and candidates may be asked to withdraw. In case of doubt please contact the Speech and Drama Secretary.
Please note that, in a change to the practice of previous years, entry to all Speech & Drama classes is now determined by the competitor’s age on 18th October 2024. A copy of the chosen piece must be given to the Adjudicator at the time of the performance.

 

CLASS 100 Verse Speaking, Non-competitive, Age 5 years        Fee: £5.00

Own Choice - see General Regulation 1(h)
Each performance will receive a certificate and adjudicator’s comments.
Time limit: 2 minutes

 

CLASS 101 Verse Speaking, 6-7 years                                          Fee: £7.00

Own Choice - see General Regulation 1(h)
Time limit: 2 minutes

 

CLASS 102 Verse Speaking, 8-9 years                                          Fee: £7.00

Own Choice - see General Regulation 1(h)
Time limit: 2 minutes

 

CLASS 103 Verse Speaking, 10-11 years                                      Fee: £7.00
Own Choice - see General Regulation 1(h)
Time limit: 2 minutes

 

CLASS 108 Verse Speaking, 12-13 years                                      Fee: £8.00
Own Choice - see General Regulation 1(h)
Time limit: 3 minutes

 

CLASS 111 Verse Speaking, 14-15 years                                     Fee: £8.00
Own Choice - see General Regulation 1(h)
Time limit: 3 minutes

 

CLASS 112 Verse Speaking, 16 years & above                           Fee: £8.00
Own Choice - see General Regulation 1(h)
Time limit: 4 minutes

 

The winner giving the best performance of Classes 108, 111 & 112
will be awarded the Huw Lloyd Rowlands Trophy.

 

CLASS 121 Junior Verse Recital, 12-15 years                             Fee: £10.00

Competitors to introduce and present three poems, one of which must be a sonnet, on a theme of their own choice to show contrasting styles of verse.
The time allowed includes brief words of introduction and/or links between the poems.
Time limit: 8 minutes

 

CLASS 122 Verse Recital, 16 years & above                               Fee: £12.00

Competitors to introduce and present three poems, one of which must be a sonnet, on a theme of their own choice to show contrasting styles of verse.
The time allowed includes brief words of introduction and/or links between the poems.
Time limit: 10 minutes

 

CLASS 141 Shakespeare Solo, 15 years & above                       Fee: £8.00

Own Choice from any play
Time limit: 7 minutes

 

CLASS 145 Performance Poetry Open                                        Fee: £12.00

Perform from memory a piece with physical gestures, emphases, and the intention to engage with the audience as a key feature.

 

CLASS 146. Write and Speak a Poem, Non-competitive Open      Fee: £8.00

Competitors are to write a poem on a subject of their own choice which they will read aloud at the Festival.

 

CLASS 153 Prose Reading, 7 years & under                                Fee: £7.00

Own Choice - see General Regulation 1(h)
Time limit: 2 minutes

 

CLASS 154 Prose Reading, 8-9 years                                            Fee: £7.00

Own Choice - see General Regulation 1(h)
Time limit: 2 minutes

 

CLASS 155 Prose Reading, 10-11 years                                        Fee: £7.00

Own Choice – see General Regulation 1(h)
Time limit: 2 minutes

 

CLASS 156 Prose Reading, 12-13 years                                        Fee: £7.00

Own Choice - see General Regulation 1(h)
Time limit: 2 minutes

 

CLASS 158 Prose Reading, 14-15 years                                        Fee: £8.00

Own Choice - see General Regulation 1(h)
Time limit: 3 minutes

 

CLASS 159 Prose Reading, 16 years & above                             Fee: £8.00

Own Choice - see General Regulation 1(h)
Time limit: 3 minutes

 

CLASSES 170 – 179. Competitors must send with the entry form a copy of their own choice piece for approval as it will be performed. Competitors will be informed if language thresholds are not
adhered to, and may be disqualified - please see General Regulation 1(j)

 

CLASS 170 Solo Drama, 10 years & under                                 Fee: £7.00

Own Choice - see General Regulation 1(h)
No costumes allowed - small hand props only
Time limit: 3 minutes (time to include introduction)

 

CLASS 171 Solo Drama, 11-12 years                                          Fee: £8.00

Own Choice - see General Regulation 1(h)
No costumes allowed - small hand props only
Time limit: 4 minutes (time to include introduction)

 

CLASS 172 Solo Drama, 13-14 years                                          Fee: £8.00

Own Choice - see General Regulation 1(h)
No costumes allowed - small hand props only
Time limit: 4 minutes (time to include introduction)

 

CLASS 173 Solo Drama, 15-16 years                                           Fee: £8.00

Own Choice – see General Regulation 1(h)
No costumes allowed – small hand props only
Time limit: 4 minutes (time to include introduction)

 

CLASS 174 Solo Drama, Open (17 years & above)                    Fee: £8.00

Own Choice – see General Regulation 1(h)
No costumes allowed – small hand props only
Time limit: 4 minutes (time to include introduction)

 

CLASS 175 Solo Comedy, 10 years & under                               Fee: £7.00

Own Choice - see General Regulation 1(h)
No costumes allowed - small hand props only
Time limit: 3 minutes (time to include introduction)

 

CLASS 176 Solo Comedy, 11-12 years                                        Fee: £8.00

Own Choice - see General Regulation 1(h)
No costumes allowed - small hand props only
Time limit: 4 minutes (time to include introduction)

 

CLASS 177 Solo Comedy, 13-14 years                                        Fee: £8.00

Own Choice - see General Regulation 1(h)
No costumes allowed - small hand props only
Time limit: 4 minutes (time to include introduction)

 

CLASS 178 Solo Comedy, 15-16 years                                        Fee: £8.00

Own Choice – see General Regulation 1(h)
No costumes allowed – small hand props only
Time limit: 4 minutes (time to include introduction)

 

CLASS 179 Solo Comedy, Open (17 years & above)                  Fee: £8.00

Own Choice – see General Regulation 1(h)
No costumes allowed – small hand props only
Time limit: 4 minutes (time to include introduction)

CLASS 180 Public Speaking, 15 years & under                          Fee: £8.00

A short speech about a figure in Theatre or Film or an autobiography of a well-known person.
Prompt cards and hand-held visual aids allowed
Time limit: 4 minutes

 

CLASS 181 Public Speaking, 16 years & above                          Fee: £8.00

A short speech on the life and works of any great figure in the arts, humanities or science.
Prompt cards and hand-held visual aids allowed
Time limit: 5 minutes

 

CLASSES 182-193. Competitors must send with the entry form a copy of their own choice piece for approval as it will be performed. Competitors will be informed if language thresholds are not ad-
hered to, and may be disqualified - please see General Regulation 1(j)

 

CLASS 182 Duologues, 7 years & under                                   Fee: £11.00

Own Choice - see General Regulation 1(h)
No costumes allowed - small hand props only
Time limit: 4 minutes

 

CLASS 183 Duologues, 8-10 years                                             Fee: £11.00

Own Choice - see General Regulation 1(h)
No costumes allowed - small hand props only
Time limit: 5 minutes

 

CLASS 184 Duologues, 11-14 years                                           Fee: £11.00

Own Choice - see General Regulation 1(h)
No costumes allowed - small hand props only
Time limit: 5 minutes

 

CLASS 185 Duologues, 15-18 years                                           Fee: £11.00

Own Choice - see General Regulation 1(h)
No costumes allowed - small hand props only
Time limit: 6 minutes

 

CLASS 186 Duologues, Open (19 years and over)                   Fee: £11.00

Own Choice - see General Regulation 1(h)
No costumes allowed - small hand props only
Time limit: 8 minutes

 

CLASS 187 Acted Scene, 7 years & under                                Fee: £25.00

No costumes allowed - small hand props only
Not less than 3 characters
Time limit: 6 minutes
Own Choice - see General Regulation 1(h)

 

CLASS 188 Acted Scene, 8-10 years                                           Fee: £25.00

No costumes allowed - small hand props only
Not less than 3 characters
Time limit: 10 minutes
Own Choice – see General Regulation 1(h)

 

CLASS 189 Acted Scene, 11-14 years                                        Fee: £25.00

No costumes allowed - small hand props only
Not less than 3 characters
Time limit: 10 minutes
Own Choice - see General Regulation 1(h)

 

CLASS 190 Acted Scene, 15-18 years                                        Fee: £25.00

No costumes allowed - small hand props only
Not less than 3 characters
Time limit: 10 minutes
Own Choice - see General Regulation 1(h)

 

CLASS 191 Acted Scene, Open (19 years & over)                    Fee: £25.00
No costumes allowed - small hand props only
Not less than 3 characters
Time limit: 10 minutes
Own Choice - see General Regulation 1(h)

 

CLASS 192 A Duologue from a Musical, Open) which may include
the first verse (only) of the song that follows the dialogue              Fee: £11.00

Own Choice - see General Regulation 1(h)
No costumes allowed - small hand props only
If you include a song, you must provide your own accompaniment.

 

GROUP CREATIVE PERFORMANCE CLASSES

NB: whilst it is unrealistic to request an advance script for Classes 194-198, the adjudicator will stop and disqualify any performance that infringes the language thresholds as stated in General Regulation 1(j), Groups may include music and/or sound effects, but must provide and operate their own sound equipment. The Title of the piece must be announced at the beginning, and all members of the group must speak some dialogue.

 

CLASS 194 Creative Performance, 6 years & under                      Fee: £25.00

Groups to devise a piece of work on a theme of their own choice.
The piece must include one of the following dramatic conventions: narration, monologue, tableaux.
Time limit for groups of 10 or fewer: 10 minutes
Time limit for groups of 11 or more: 15 minutes

 

CLASS 195 Creative Performance, 7-10 years                                Fee: £25.00

Groups to devise a piece of work on a theme of their own choice based on a piece of music.
The piece must include two of the following dramatic conventions: prologue and/or epilogue, tableaux, narration, monologue, chorus.
Time limit for groups of 10 or fewer: 10 minutes
Time limit for groups of 11 or more: 15 minutes

 

CLASS 196 Creative Performance, 11-14 years                              Fee: £25.00

Groups to devise a piece of work on a theme derived from a topical issue or newspaper article.
The piece must include three of the following dramatic conventions: chorus, epilogue, monologue, narration, prologue, tableaux, physical theatre.
Time limit for groups of 10 or fewer: 10 minutes
Time limit for groups of 11 or more: 15 minutes

 

CLASS 197 Creative Performance, 15-17 years                              Fee: £25.00

Groups to devise a piece of work on a theme derived from a topical issue or newspaper article.
The piece must include four of the following dramatic conventions: chorus, epilogue, monologue, narration, prologue, tableaux, physical theatre.
Time limit for groups of 10 or fewer: 10 minutes
Time limit for groups of 11 or more: 15 minutes

 

CLASS 198 Creative Performance, Open (18 years & over)            Fee: £25.00

Groups to devise a piece of work on a theme derived from a topical issue or newspaper article.
The piece must include six of the following dramatic conventions: chorus, epilogue, monologue, narration, prologue, tableaux, physical theatre.
Time limit for groups of 10 or fewer:: 10 minutes
Time limit for groups of 11 or more: 15 minutes

 

SPEECH & DRAMA ADJUDICATORS WILL INCLUDE:

Susan Mackay LLAM, ALAM, LLAM(TD)
For 10 years, Susan ran The Fylde Stage School teaching levels of RAD and ISTD dance and LAMDA Speech and Drama before graduating from the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. After seasons in Repertory Theatre, touring and T.V she decided that it was time to realise other dreams. She now directs Upstage Drama, teaching Speech and Drama, GCSE Drama, Upstage Young People’s Theatre and Bare Boards Theatre Company. Susan adjudicates at festivals all over the UK as well as in Cork and Hong Kong. She is an adjudicator member of the British and International Federation of Festivals and has served as a deputy on the Adjudicators Council. Susan sees her role as an adjudicator as a combination of bringing new ideas and approaches to text and performance as well as fresh encouragement to every participant. She feels that everyone should leave a festival with a sense of achievement .

Carol Schroder LLAM, PGCE, MISTD
From an early age Carol trained in all aspects of performing arts including drama, dance and singing. She worked in the professional theatre, television and in cabaret where she produced her own one woman show. Carol gained teaching qualifications in speech and drama and then taught at drama schools and colleges including for twenty two years at the Italia Conti Academy of Performing Arts. Carol was an examiner for LAMDA for over forty years both in the UK and overseas.
She has written and contributed to several LAMDA textbooks and has been involved in the setting of the various syllabuses.
Carol is a long-standing member of The British and International Federation of Festivals (BIFF) adjudicating throughout the UK and overseas and served for nine years on the adjudicator’s council. In 2019 she was awarded a fellowship of BIFF. She is also a past chairperson of The Society of Teachers of Speech and Drama (STSD).Carol enjoys teaching young children where English is their second language and those with special needs. She also lectures on presentation skills to adults in commerce and industry. Carol is pleased to see a number of her past pupils achieving success (as performers, writers and technicians) in professional theatre, television, the film industry and indeed taking up careers as teachers themselves.

Download a Complete copy of the HGMF 2024 Syllabus