Dates set for Peterborough Drama Festival 2024

Huda Azirz, Olivia Pires and Flourish Ogbere from Lime Academy Parnell, taking part in this year's Peterborough Drama Festival

Entries are being sought for the annual Peterborough Drama Festival competition for 2024, which will take place at the beginning of March.

This long-running festival has been a regular and popular event on the local calendar since the 1940s, and several previous winners have since moved on to enjoy successful careers.

The festival will be held over two days. Friday, March 1 will see school groups come together to showcase their choral speaking abilities to one another. The following day will see individuals and groups participate in the syllabus classes, which cover a full range of dramatic arts including prose reading, verse speaking, duologues, prepared speech, mime and acting.

The Peterborough Drama Festival accepts individual and group entries from schools, theatre groups, youth groups and individual entrants from parents of students who are keen to enter.

Festival chairman, Steve Cutts says: “The 2023 festival was successful with over 100 entries showcasing an inspiring range of acting, verse speaking, duologues, storytelling, and choral speaking. We are keen to continue to promote speech and performance skills for all age groups, thus increasing confidence, developing expertise, and providing friendly competition amongst all keen students of the arts.”

A full syllabus and list of festival rules can be found at www.peterboroughdramafestival.org.uk – with online entries accepted until November 30.