A poignant play performed by the East Essex Players has already taken top honours in the Southend amateur drama festival.

Now it has gone on to win the trophy for the best one act play at the National Drama Festival British All Winners Festival.

The competition was held last week in the Thameside Theatre, Grays.

Director John White was delighted with the award, won against tough competition. He said: "I watched the whole festival, and it was of a really high standard, the best for years."

Taking home the Irving Trophy is a real triumph for the three actors, Sue Morley, Jo Masters and John Smith, who presented a play which examines the difficulties of living with an Alzheimer's patient.

Sue, who played the wife of the sufferer knows from her off-stage life the difficulties involved with the condition as her own husband has the debilitating disease.

John White felt particularly vindicated by the win, as the group had been asked to appear in the all-winners festival despite having been knocked out of the All England Drama Festival at the eastern area final.

"The national festival was judged by Rex Walford, a Cambridge don, who is the new chairman of the Guild of Drama Adjudicators. If he says you're good, then you're good," said John.

Runners up in the best play category were the Bovingdon Players with A Coupla White Chicks Sitting Around Talking.

The group, from south west Hertfordshire, had been widely tipped to win the festival following earlier succeses.

Third place went to the Commonswood Players with Please Mrs Butler, based on poems by Alan Ahlberg.

The backstage award went to Sawston Players from Cambridge with When the Bough Breaks.

Winner of the full length play section was Enniscorthy Theatre Group from Eire with The Cripple Inishmaan.

Runners-up were the Deben Players from Felixstowe with Key for Two and the adjudicators award went to the Car Boot Theatre Company from Colwyn Bay with Bold Girls.

Fantastic - Sue Morley and John White with the Irving Trophy

Picture: STEVE O'CONNELL

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