ASPIRING actors and actresses took the stage to enchant audiences of a popular music festival with a whole host of unique performances. 

The South Cumbria Musical Festival continued yesterday with a special speech day that highlighted the dramatic prowess of young people across the area. 

Children as young as six and seven stole the limelight at Ulverston Coronation Hall through a number of poetry recitals. 

Keith Butcher, chairman of the festival, believes the event offers a fantastic opportunity for young people. 

He said: "One aim of our festival is to provide a platform for people to perform in public and to receive a professional adjudication of their performance. 

"As young people are an essential part of festival week we offer our thanks to all teachers, pupils and parents who support us so faithfully from year to year to accomplish our aim."

Brian Hindle, a drama lecturer based in Blackpool, acted as adjudicator for the day on his first visit to the annual festival. 

The classes encompassed a wide variety of genres that included poetry, prepared reading, Bible reading and acted dramatisations. 

Festival organisers praised the high standard of the performances throughout the day particularly those who received distinctions for their work. 

A special mention goes to Connor O’Hara, Mathilda Kenny and Adam Kirby from Ulverston, and Thomas Nussbaum-Richman and Sanjana Sing from Barrow, who each received a mark of 90 or above for outstanding performances in age-restricted classes.

The Patrick Croskery Award for Meritorious speech was awarded to Mathilda Kenny from

Ulverston and the Barrow Soroptomists Shield and Bursary of £50 was awarded to Connor O’Hara, also from Ulverston.

Thomas Nussbaum-Richman from Barrrow was also awarded the Julie Willis Bursary of

£50.

Sir John Barrow School received a score of 92 for an outstanding performance in the choric

speaking class.

Mr Hindle said he was impressed by the standard of performance and enjoyed his time at the festival.

Class winners

Poetry (up to and including school year two) - Heidi Lawson, Bootle.

Poetry (school year three) - Nathan Lee Cheong, Barrow.
Poetry (school year four) - Phoebe Lever, Barrow.

Poetry (school year five) - Thomas Nussbaum-Richman, Barrow.

Poetry (school year six) - Freya Ashcroft, Broughton.

Write and Recite (up to and including school year six) - Ava Park, Dalton.

Prepared Bible reading (up to and including school year six) - Daniel Knott, Dalton.

Acted dramatisation of single character (up to and including school year six) - Lucy Coward, Kirkby

Prepared reading (up to and including school year six) - Aman Kshetrapal, Barrow

Poetry (school years seven to nine inclusive) - Connor O'Hara, Ulverston. 

Prepared Bible reading (school years seven to nine inclusive) Subhash Chatterjee, Barrow.

Acted dramatisation of single character (school years seven to nine inclusive) - Lydia Hetherington, Barrow. 

Shakespeare class (school years seven to nine inclusive) - Mathilda Kenny, Ulverston

Prepared reading (school years seven to nine inclusive) - Adam Kirby, Ulverston. 

Choral speaking (up to and including school year six) - Dalton St. Mary's Performing Arts Club, Dalton. 

Choric speaking (up to and including school year six) - Sir John Barrow School, Ulverston.

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