Get ready for pint-sized plays

PEMBROKESHIRE-based international writing competition, Pint-sized Plays is getting ready for this year’s round of performances in pubs. The competition, now in its sixth year, attracted over 250 entries from all over the world and this year’s winners include entries from the USA, New Zealand and Wales.
It is hoped that the six winners and four runners up will all be performed in Tenby pubs starting Tenby Arts Festival week. All plays are around 10 minutes long and three will be performed in each pub – some are poignant, some plain funny, some downright hilarious – but all worth catching and they’re free to watch.
Performances this year are: Monday, September 23 in Tenby – 7.30 pm: Normandie, Upper Frog Street; 8.30 pm: Hope & Anchor, St Julian Street; 9.30 pm: The Crown, Lower Frog Street.; Tuesday, September 24 – Tenby: 7.00 pm: The Galloping Major, New Hedges;?8.30 pm: 5 Arches, St George Street;?9.30 pm: The Buccaneer, St Julian Street.
There are then two additional performances in Haverfordwest on Thursday October 3 at 8pm in The Mariners Hotel, Mariners Square and 9pm: The Bristol Trader, Quay Street.
All the winners and runners up will compete for the Pint-sized ‘Pint-Pot’ trophy on September 28 at 4U@TheatrGwaun in Fishguard. This is the show where the audience get to vote for their favourite script and is always great fun.
Competing this year for the coveted Pint-Pot award are: Brought To Book by Lou Treleaven from Luton – in a play where books are a banned substance; ?Eternity by Elan David Garonzik from New York – a play set at the Pearly Gates;?Forever True by Neil Walden?from Caerphilly – a play on the nature of truth and the Finnish national anthem; Icebergs by Camilla Valerie Whitehill (London) – a play about lettuces and more besides; ?Lifetime by Angie Farrow from New Zealand – a lifetime played out in ten minutes; ?and Roadkill by Clare Reddaway (Bath) with two would-be Native Americans.
Adding to these competition winners will be the following runners up: Auto-Incorrect by Bridgette Portman (California); ?Dogs And Cats Living Together by Lynn-Steven Johanson?(Illinois); Knight Intruder by Dorothy Lambert (Dorset); and The Intricate Workings Of A Sherbet Lemon by Stuart Lee from Oxford.
Pint-sized Plays organiser, Derek Webb, says of this year’s competition: “Each year we seem to attract a wider range of themes, and this year’s crop is more diverse than ever. I am also proud that our home-grown competition has now become internationally respected, reflected in the geographical spread of our entrants.”
At the Script Slam, winners and runners up are on equal terms, and the overall winner of the best script award is decided by the audience. Last year there were no less than seven of the writers present, including Stuart Crafton who actually came all the way from the USA – but his effort was rewarded, because he walked away with the best script award. Prizes are also awarded for best performance by Peter Richards, Artistic Director of Fluellen Theatre Company.
The Pint-sized Plays 2013 Script Slam starts at 7.30pm and tickets (£5.50) can be booked on pintsizedplays.org.uk.
And, this year, there is an additional show after the Script Slam – Pint-sized World at Small World Theatre in Cardigan will showcase a selection of this year’s winners together with some from previous years as a complete performance of up to 12 plays. Small World Theatre with its unique round auditorium will have tables and seating cabaret style, with bar, combining pub atmosphere with theatre. Tickets at £6.50 can be booked on whatevertheweatherwales.co.uk.