National Treasure cuts the ribbon at the 2025 One Act Drama Festival

Sir Stephen Fry was the surprise guest at tonight's opening ceremony at the Princess Theatre Hunstanton.

From left: Ian Gooda, Stephen P E Hayter, Stephen Fry and Andrew Natrass

A good sized audience filled the stalls of Hunstanton's Princess Theatre on Friday evening as Festival Director Verity Mitchell introduced, and thanked, the adjudicators, the staff and volunteers at the theatre and the ten groups who are set to perform over the three day event.

Having cut the ribbon to open the festival Stephen Fry told the audience about his early theatre experience. He explained that the only part he could have 'was non-singing because I unfortunately have Van Gogh's ear for music, but I proceeded to make something of a career of it, and I have never lost my absolute love of live theatre, and my respect for amateur theatre and for people who work so hard to bring theatre to their communities.'

"At a time when everything is digitised, when so much of our time is spent looking at screens where we have no idea what is, or is not real, we can guarantee that theatre is. And that is something beyond price and as years pass AI, and deeper and deeper fakery happens, we will more and more value the extraordinary pleasure of the community coming together, sitting next to each other, looking at real people on the stage who are performing just for them, at just that moment, and that's the magic of theatre, and it has never really been superseded by anything else. Ask any actor and they tell you that their greatest joy has always been when they have performed in the theatre."

The festival celebrates all that makes up amateur theatre, with adult and youth performances that encompass both original and established works. 

Kicking off the festival were 'The Up Themselves Theatre Company', who presented The Adjudication by Penny Alexander. It did not disappoint. From the moment the curtains opened the audience were laughing and clapping at the three actors (Ian Gooda, Stephen P E Hayter and Andrew Natrass) who are in fact the adjudicators of the whole event. Wow, how very brave! Sitting next to me, by husband said "That's the best comedy I've seen for ages."

Sir Stephen Fry with Verity Mitchell

Repairing to the bar the conversations were enthusiastic and Sir Stephen posed for photos with theatre goers and the committee; you'll see they all have broad grins - but I can't print what he said to make them smile....

To view the full programme click here: https://townandaround.net/cms/...