Return to the Sudbury Festival of Performing Arts

After a break of a few years, this year I was really pleased to be able to find the time to volunteer once again for a couple of sessions helping out at the Sudbury Festival of Performing Arts.

I spent a happy time filling in certificates for all the participants, while being able to keep one ear open to listen to their contributions.  It was wonderful to hear the young people reciting poetry by heart, including old favourites  like Matilda and Cargoes, and also other poems of more recent vintage. In the evening I was lucky to be able to sit alongside the adjudicator as her 'clerk', and was in a prime position to watch a number of very talented children bravely undertaking their solo acting contributions.  I am sure that at least some will be the stars of the future!

Last Sunday afternoon I went along to the theatre at Ormiston Academy in Sudbury to watch the Festival concert, comprising winners and runners up from many of the different classes in the Dance, Music and Speech and Drama Sections.  The standard, not surprisingly was very high.  There were dance troops and solo musicians in addition to theatre and poetry reading, and it was good to hear Shakespeare delivered with such clarity and understanding.

The Festival will be on again next year, and is always looking for volunteers.  Even if you can only do one or two sessions, the experience is good fun.  For more information the website for the Festival can be found HERE.

Presentation of prizes at Sudbury Ormiston Academy