Parodos Theatre Company is celebrating the success of its recent production of Victoria Station as part of the Manx Amateur Drama Federation’s Easter Festival of Plays.
Over the course of last week, different teams from across the island and further afield produced a variety of one-act and full-length plays, with a different production each evening.
The plays were staged at the magnificent Gaiety Theatre.
Theatre
Victoria Station, directed by talented local director Tony Eccles, was written by Harold Pinter.
It is a macabre one-act play that portrays the intense and surreal dialogue on a London night between a minicab controller and a driver.
The writing, in an absurdist style, means the playwright doesn’t present a meaning behind what is happening on stage. The audience is left to form their own interpretation.
The Festival was adjudicated by Chris Baglin, an independent reviewer from the Guild of Drama Adjudicators, who commented positively on the creative lighting, the confidence of the pauses used, and the one particular moment at which the audience realised something sinister was afoot.
At the close of the Festival, Parodos was awarded the Nadine Talbot Award for Best Dramatic Moment, the Mark Clift Award for Best Actor being awarded to Geoff Pugh, with fellow actor Lorcan O’Mahony also nominated, and the Northern Arts Rose Bowl for Best Play.
The team will now represent the Isle of Man in the All England Theatre Festival Semi- Finals in Saltburn.
Awards
Tony Eccles said: “I couldn’t be prouder of Geoff and Lorcan, they have put in so much hard work and dedication over the last few months and it really showed.
“A pleasure to work with them and a big thank you to Parodos. Our congratulations to all those who entered productions in the Festival and all the very worthy winners of awards across the various categories.”
Geoff Pugh said: “I was thrilled to be asked to be a part of this production for Parodos and delighted the audience and adjudicator responded so generously to this wonderful short and enigmatic piece from Pinter.
“Working with Lorcan and Tony has been a real treat and to come away with 3 prizes including the coveted Best Play and Best Actor prize was humbling.”
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