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The Flash Festival Review 2014 held at the Looking Glass Theatre and the Royal & Derngate, Northampton

The experience of seeing eleven productions in the 2014 Flash Festival was a delight and something that I am glad I was able to make time for. The quality of the organisation, the quality of the plays and most importantly the quality of the University Of Northampton's young acting students has been something to behold.

The venues themselves have also been a delight, with the Royal & Derngate Underground space familiar to me having attended previous on a few occasions. However the Looking Glass Theatre came as quite a surprise with my first visit early morning on the first day of the festival. Two very helpful staff (ignorantly never asked your names) with tea, chocolate and more often than not coffee at the ready.

 Of the eleven plays that I did manage to see, I can safely say that there was not one that I didn't enjoy. I offer my apologies that I simply was not able to see The Fig Tree, The Homeless Heart, The Weigh In and Don't Look Me In The Eye, but there sadly was just not quite enough time in the week for me.

 So as I said, once again, you were all brilliant but like all awards ceremonies there must be a few winners (try not to look grumpy if you have missed out as the camera might just be on you as you pull that face) and rest assured Olivia Colman actually won't win an award here.

 So here are my personal awards:

Top Male Performers (Top Three Unranked)
  • Joseph Derrington from Marbleglass for Sell By Date
  • Marvin Freeman from Lost Fragments for The Show Must Go On
  • Steven-James Leonard from Rising Persona for Vallence Road
Top Female Performers (Top Three Unranked)
  • Danielle Gorman from Black Jack for Taciturn
  • Zoë Harbour from Between Two Worlds for In Her Reflection
  • Brigette Wellbelove from Between Two Worlds for In Her Reflection
Best Technology Use
  • Marbleglass for Sell By Date
Best Physical Theatre
  • Sell By Date from Marbleglass starring Marcus Churchill, Ashley Cook, Joseph Derrington and Sophie Murray
Best Set
  • Oppossed from ViceVersa starring Lindsey Davis and Reanne Lawrence
Top Theatre Groups (Top Three Unranked)
  • Between Two Worlds featuring Kathryn Belmega, Zoë Harbour, Katherine Hartshorne and Brigette Wellbelove for In Her Reflection
  • Lost Fragments featuring Tré Curran, Marvin Freeman, Liam Harvey and Karis Lewis for The Show Must Go On
  • Marbleglass featuring Marcus Churchill, Ashley Cook, Joseph Derrington and Sophie Murray for Sell By Date
Top Plays (Top Three Unranked)
  • Sell By Date from Marbleglass starring Marcus Churchill, Ashley Cook, Joseph Derrington and Sophie Murray
  • The Show Must Go from Lost Fragments starring Tré Curran, Marvin Freeman, Liam Harvey and Karis Lewis
  • Taciturn from Black Jack starring Danielle Gorman, Oliver Leonard and Matt Thompson


And then it was all over. A final thanks to the staff at Looking Glass, Royal & Derngate, Flash Festival Organisers, Platinum Events: Sophie Bridge, Louise Stidston, Libbie Cooper, Justyna Smugala, Shaunagh Dunlop and Bryony Denison and also thanks to Jim and Lynne Holden. Roll on 2015.



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