Playwright in national award bid

A PLAY written and directed by a Henley amateur actor has been nominated for a national award.

The Devil & the Dove by Piers Burnell won the Colin Dexter Rose Bowl for “magic moment” at the Abingdon Drama Festival.

Festival adjudicator Louise Manders liked the play so much that she proposed it goes on to the National Drama Festival to be held at the Albany Theatre in Coventry later this month.

The play, which was a retelling of French author Charles Perrault’s 1697 story of Bluebeard, or La Barbe Bleu, was performed by Henley Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society.

The “magic moment” was a picnic scene where the actors passed a record round and improvised Summertime in slow motion.

The play won the same award and best presentation as well as being runner-up in the best play category at the Henley Drama Festival earlier this year.

Mr Burnell, who lives in Henley and also starred in the play, was delighted.

“The whole cast have agreed that whether they pick up any further awards or not, they are just honoured to be invited to compete,” he said.

The other actors who appeared were Vivienne Higton-Burnell (narrator), Katie Bland, Sarai Denny, Laura Neighbour, Julie Huntington, Samantha Riley and Melle Flint. Make-up was by Marnie Spears and the lighting and sound by Hugh Legh.