The British Final Festival of One Act Plays is generally considered to be the amateur theatre event of the year. This year it was held at the Aberystwyth Arts Centre on the campus of the University of Wales last Friday & Saturday (June 25th/26th) ... and The Young Theatre won it!!

Competing for England with their production of "Ball Boys" by David Edgar - superbly directed by Mark Oldknow, with James Cooke (as Rupert); Peter Sharman (as One-Eye) & Phil Macken (as Sven) making up the outstanding cast - they won the title against strong competition from Scotland (Tryst Theatre / "Travels With My Aunt" by Giles Havergal from Graham Greene's novel); Northern Ireland (Theatre 3, Newtownabbey / "Elegy For A Lady" by Arthur Miller) and Wales (the New Tabernacle Players / "Asylum" by Alec Baron). The Adjudicator was Chris Jaeger GODA.

The YT "support team" comprised:- Jonathan Fowke (Lighting); Russell Brownbill (Sound); Nell Charleston, Martin Haswell, Lara Henry & Cameron Gower-Poole (Stage Team); and Graham Southgate standing in as Production Manager in the enforced absence of Liz Beckmann in the USA! Like all the best things about YT - it was a great team success!

The Young Theatre - the first youth group ever to win the All England title, and now (we believe) the first youth group ever to win the British title - were presented with the Howard de Walden Ewer by professional actor Wyn Calvin.

Not only did the team have excellent support from the current membership, despite the long journey - they were also delighted to have two ex-members, namely Peter Lock and his family, and Tim Gray and his wife - (one YT Harrow and one YT Beaconsfield) - in the audience supporting them as well ...!! Many other ex-members had sent the team messages of support - and the group very much wants all our ex-members to share in the group's outstanding success as their involvement over the years has helped to set and maintain the high standards demonstrated by this achievement.

England might be out of Euro 2004 - our rugby and cricket teams lose - but The Young Theatre (at Beaconsfield) has done England, Buckinghamshire, Beaconsfield and itself proud!