The Warehouse Theatre
Ilminster
18th – 21st February 2026 at 7:30pm
An Evening of Three One-Act Plays

COUNTDOWN by Alan Ayckbourn
A short one act sketch about a couple who verbalise their internal thoughts over breakfast.
​
AN ACTOR’S NIGHTMARE by Christopher Durang - Directed by Clare Brett - George wanders on stage and is met by stage manager Mike, who says he is to fill infor an actor who has had an accident. But what in? Is this a nightmare, or something even more sinister? Taking its inspiration from the nightmare that actors of any
background will have suffered – appearing on stage without having prepared – Durang‘s taut, smart comedy wields theatre history like an executioner’s blade.
​
PROMISES, PROMISES by Ken Cooper
A recently deceased man finds himself at the pearly gates of heaven and learns of the unusual entry requirements.
​
KNOCKIN’ ON DAVE’S DOOR by Neil Webster – Directed by Ken Cooper. American singer/songwriter, Bob Dylan, flies to London to visit his friend, Dave Stewart – one half of The Eurythmics. Confused by the many similar street names in Crouch End, Dylan calls at the wrong house – that of Dave, a plumber, and a serious Bob Dylan fan.
4TH TO 6TH MARCH
​
WADHAM SCHOOL PRESENTS - GREASE - YOUNG@PART
​
Since its electric Broadway and West End debut in the early 1970’s, GREASE has remained one of the world’s most popular and enduring musicals. Funny, frank and featuring the hit songs “Greased Lightnin’,” “Hopelessly Devoted to You,” “You’re The One That I Want,” and “Summer Nights,” GREASE follows the journey of Danny and Sandy, alongside the Burger Palace Boys and the Pink Ladies, as they navigate high school to the unforgettable rock n’ roll soundtrack that defined generations.
​
GREASE Young@Part® is an adaptation of the full-length musical GREASE, one of the world’s most popular and enduring musicals by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. TRW’s Young@Part® series is specifically crafted for students 15 years and younger, adjusting the score for younger voices, simplifying harmonies, increasing the number of speaking roles, and creating a more manageable production for school students and youth theatres.
Somerset Opera returns with Gilbert & Sullivan’s Pirates of Penzance. Following last year’s highly successful MHS Pinafore it will again be directed by Sarah Helsby-Hughes (who also directs at Buxton) and music from Sam Baker.
The story concerns Frederic, who, having completed his 21st year, is released from his apprenticeship to a band of tender-hearted pirates. He meets the daughters of the incompetent Major-General Stanley, including Mabel, and the two young people fall instantly in love. Frederic learns, however, that he was born on 29 February, and so, technically, he has a birthday only once each leap year. His indenture specifies that he remain apprenticed to the pirates until his "twenty-first birthday", meaning that he must serve for another 63 years. Bound by his own sense of duty to honour his bond with the pirates, Frederic's only solace is that Mabel agrees to wait for him faithfully. The pirates' maid-of-all-work, Ruth, eventually reveals a fact that saves the day.
The County Drama Festival is organised by the Somerset Fellowship of Drama (SFD) and is recognised as a Preliminary Round of the All-England Theatre Festival (AETF). It is for one act plays of between 20 to 55 minutes in length and involve at least two speaking roles. Every play is adjudicated publicly by a member of the Guild of Drama Adjudicators (GODA) and there are 11 trophies and shields to be won.
The winner of this preliminary round can opt to go forward and represent Somerset in the Semi-final of the AETF and in successive rounds to the English Final and eventually British Final. The Warehouse Theatre has been the host for this event for several years and this year we would like to welcome 9 different drama groups: Taunton Thespians, The @2K Theatre Company, IES, Clevedon School, MADS Youth Group, CUDOS - Adult and Youth Group, Weymouth Drama Group and Echoes. They are bringing a wide variety of plays to the festival from classic to modern, comedy to hard-hitting drama.
Our adjudicator is Chris Jaeger MBW, FRSA, B.Ed (Hons), GoDA. He is a highly experienced writer, musician, actor and director. For sixteen years he was the director of the Swan Theatre, Worcester and the Worcester Repertory Theatre Company based there. He runs a professional touring company called ‘On a Role’ and he has written and directed many successful plays. He is a senior member of the Guild of Drama Adjudicators (GoDA) and has twice been its chair. He adjudicates drama festivals all over Britain and has adjudicated many national finals. Last year he adjudicated the British Final in Litchfield. He is also the Chair of the National Drama Festival and Chair of Deaf Dance. He is a Fellow of the University of Worcester and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. In 2013 he was awarded the MBE for services to the Arts. It is a pleasure and honour to welcome him to this year’s County Drama Festival at the Warehouse Theatre in Ilminster.
The County Drama Festival 2026 promises to be the best one yet and a real celebration of local drama. Come and support friends, family and your local drama group. Don’t miss it!
Irene Glynn
County Drama Co-Ordinator for SFD
