SOME of the best amateur theatre in the country will be performed in Woking when the Rhoda McGaw Theatre hosts the British All Winners Festival.

Sixteen plays that have won drama festivals around the country will feature in the festival being hosted by the Woking Drama Association.

 The programme, which runs until Saturday 20 July, consists mostly of short or one-act plays with a full-length comic version of The Hound of the Baskervilles on Friday 19 July. Young performers from three groups will feature on Youth Night on Wednesday 17 July.

On the last night of the festival, awards will be given in various categories, presented by Sir Derek Jacobi.

The prizes include the Sir Derek Jacobi Award for New Playwriting, which is being given for the first time this year.

Stewart Mison, the Woking-based chairman of the National Drama Festivals Association, said the British All Winners Festival was held at a different venue each year.

“We’re delighted that Woking was selected as the ‘host’ this year and we’re very excited to see some of the productions being performed for us,” Stewart said.

For more information, visit www.wokingdramafestival.co.uk or call the ATG box office on 0844 871 7643.

For the full story, get the 11 July edition of the News & Mail