ENTRIES are now open for entries in to the 70th annual Harold Jolliffe One-Act Play Festival, which takes place in March next year.

The festival which is the independent first round of the All England Theatre Festival is open to any amateur theatre company and usually attracts around 12 entries every year.

Festival director Fenella Harrop said: “I’ve already had people contacting me wishing to enter.”

“It goes to a national level; if you do well enough you can go quite far,” said Fenella.

“We’ve had several of our festival winners, over the years, go deep in to the competition which is very exciting.”

In 2015, the winners of the One-Act Play Festival advanced to the English semi-finals of the AETF.

Mrs Harrop said: “The standard of acting, direction and technical expertise is always very high.”

“We would urge theatre companies to get their thinking caps on now so they can come up with a festival winning performance.”

The One-Act Play Festival was named after librarian Harold Jolliffe, who founded the Swindon Arts Centre.

The very first festival took place in 1947.

In March the festival will be celebrating its 70th year and Fenella promises there will be lots of exciting activities taking place to mark the milestone.

The performances will take place at a new location this year, Memorial Hall in Royal Wootton Bassett, on March 30 and 31, and April 1 all beginning at 7.15pm.

One-Act plays are traditionally between 20 and 55 minutes long with no interval.

Points are awarded by the adjudicator who makes decisions based on acting, production, stage presentation and dramatic achievement.

The event is aimed, not just as an opportunity to display acting skills but it is also great fun for everyone involved.

Fenella said: “I also think that if you’re in a local theatre company – you do your plays and you can feel like you are in a bit of a bubble.

“This is a good way for local theatre companies to get together and see what the others are doing. It can be inspiring.

“You make friends and bump into old friends, it’s an incredible atmosphere and great sense of coming together as people celebrate their love of theatre.”

Anyone interested in entering next year’s festival should email the festival directors at hj1act@gmail.com More information can also be found on the festival’s website www.swindonweb.com/hj1act.