The Diva Academy

Careful What You Wish For by Jon Boustead

A group of children visit a strange castle and are taken on a salutary journey by the castle keepers on which the children's wishes are fulfilled. The children learn the importance of being careful what they wish for.

Bitterne Park School

The Disappeared by Paul King

Exploring those men women and children believed to have been abducted by agents of the Argentine government during the years known as the Dirty War (1976–1983). One year after the abductions – and without answers - the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo was founded, hundreds of women were participating, gathering in the Plaza for weekly demonstrations. They found strength in each other by marching in public and attracted some press to try and find answers.

Studio Theatre

Murder! In Little Grimley by David Tristram

Anxious to cash in on the public’s appetite for detective dramas, the Chairman of the local amdram group writes a whodunnit. But in a bizarre twist he then finds himself embroiled in a real-life murder mystery that threatens to put him behind bars. The quarrelsome quartet have been in some sticky situations over the years. But can they possibly get away with murder?

Studio Youth Theatre

Tracks by Peter Tarsi

A group of strangers meet in a dirty subway station. They have arrived with limited personal belongings, all claiming to be in different cities. Soon they learn there is no way out of the station, and the unfortunate truth is revealed....

Studio Theatre

English for Pony Lovers by John Finnemore

German Elke is anxious to connect with her teenage daughter, who shuts herself in her room writing fan fiction on the internet. To do so, she needs to improve her English and engages the services of Lorna, who might not be quite the language tutor she’s cracked up to be…

Starcast Drama Collective

Brainstorm: The original playscript by Ned Glasier, Emily Lim and Company

Inside every adolescent brain, 86 billion neurons connect and collide to produce the most frustrating, chaotic and exhilarating changes that will ever happen to us.
Brainstorm is a unique theatrical investigation into how teenagers’ brains work, and why they’re designed by evolution to be the way they are.

Titchfield Festival Youth Associates

Lunch in Venice by Nick Dear

5 teenagers go on an art trip of a lifetime to Venice. A stop on the rialto changes everything. When they are joined by a mysterious shopaholic the truth comes out about their lunch break.

Bench Theatre

Biting the Hand that Feeds by Roger Niven

Mrs Roberts is a teacher keen on making children achieve their full potential while Derek Ainsley is the new Head focussing on the business potential of the school. They were never going to get on…
Then came Marcus and yet another lunchtime detention. What could possibly go wrong?

Bishopstoke Players

No Easy Road by Peter Yates

Niall and Faye are delighted on hearing their son Jamie has got engaged to the lovely Roisin. Jamie though has a personal secret, he knows inside he’s gay and he has a personal dilemma – should he live a lie with Roisin or come out and ruin their future?

This play contains strong language.

Starcast Drama Company

Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind by Greg Allen

This is an ensemble experiment in presenting two-minute plays in a random order with an interactive audience.

This play contains strong language and adult themes.

Our 2023 Adjudicator: Jan Palmer Sayer

Jan is one of the most respected adjudicators in the country. As a retired headteacher of a specialist arts college, her theatrical exploits have taken her to all four corners of the country.

Having been an adjudicator for over 20 years, and as a former chair of the Guild of Drama Adjudicators, she has a vast amount of knowledge and experience to impart to groups and audiences alike.

This was Jan's second visit to the Totton Festival and we were delighted to welcome her back. Winning groups will see Jan again as she is also adjudicating the English Final in Tewkesbury this year.