“Hey, let’s put on a show!”
Call me old-fashioned but nothing fills my heart with more theatrical gusto than Sir Cliff’s famous Summer Holiday quip, a gang of enthusiastic actors, a willing crew and the whiff of a good idea. Luckily, each summer Britain welcomes actors, writers, directors, musicians, performance artists and theatre groups large and small, amateur and professional to take part in its many eisteddfodau, showcases, competitions and festivals. The British & International Federation of Festivals for Music, Dance & Speech has 300 affiliated events throughout the UK and Ireland including associations in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Zambia. The National Drama Festivals Association has 50 members who organise 18 full-length and 44 one-act festivals each year including the ‘All Winners’ week, which showcases the very best of the circuit. Then there’s the world famous Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Northern Ireland’s prestigious Belfast Festival and Wales’ mammoth National Eisteddfod – so there’s plenty of choice.
