An original script and handmade costumes helped Eardisley YFC steal the show at The National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs’ (NFYFC) Performing Arts final.
The national competition – which was a sell-out – was held at the Spa Centre in Leamington Spa earlier this month. Five teams competed at the national final after making it through the county and regional rounds.
The Herefordshire club has reached the national final five times before but this is the first year Eardisley has clinched the top trophy.
The club’s 40-minute performance of ‘Down the Garden Path’ was written by former members of the club and involved a cast of 31 members ranging from 10 to 24 years old.
Eardisley YFC secretary Zoe Whittall said: “We are absolutely buzzing, we can’t believe it. Everyone who wanted to be in the play was in it.
Everyone who wanted a part had a part and we’ve had an absolutely fantastic time doing it. We’ve been to five national Entertainments Finals and we have finally won one.
“Everyone has been fantastic and so enthusiastic and keen to get involved and that’s what our club’s all about and we’ve loved every second of it.”
Eardisley YFC faced stiff competition from four other teams in the Final including Caldbeck YFC in Cumbria, Buxton YFC in Derbyshire, a team from Cornwall Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs and Guilsfield YFC in Montgomeryshire.
The three adjudicators from the National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA) said the standard of the entries was extremely high.
West Midlands NODA regional councillor Ian Cox told a packed auditorium: “Any performance that begins with Vivaldi’s ‘Spring’ is to be admired and we saw that in Eardisley with their particular performance. The puppetry in that show was of the absolute top quality and it impressed us enormously.”
Eardisley YFC
It was a special moment for Buxton YFC when the winners of the best actor and actress awards were announced.
The two awards went to brother and sister Samuel and Lydia Slack for the characters they played in the production ‘When I Grow Up’, that was written by their father Peter Slack – a former Buxton YFC member.
Sam played a comical granddad figure that he says was based on his own Granddad who sadly passed away six months ago and Lydia took inspiration from her idol Victoria Wood to play her comedy role as a sheep farmer.
Buxton YFC’s production also came second in the competition and Sam said they were delighted to have reached the final.
“We are absolutely overwhelmed that we even got this far,” said Sam. ”It’s dad who has helped us and pushed us to get here really.”
Eardisley YFC will be staging their performance of Down the Garden Path on June 7 in an open-air theatre production at The Dairy House, Eardisley from 7:00pm.
Tickets are available on the door – £6 for adults and £3 for children. All proceeds will go back into supporting the club.
