Previous posts allude to our November 2024 production, “This Secret Isle”. It was a new thriller set in a Wareham public house during May 1942, conceived, researched, written and directed by our very own talented Peter Smith. It was set during the Second World War when the people of Purbeck were stoically enduring all the restrictions and deprivations that came with the war with typical British resolve and humour. All involved latterly basked in an afterglow of what we believed had been an exceptional success on our part; and the reviews supported that feeling! But that was not to be the end if it!
We later learned that we had been nominated for a NODA award in recognition of all the hard work and in due course took the top spot as winners of the “NODA District 11 Achievement Award 2024”. An honour indeed!
The citation, prepared by our regional NODA representative, Martin Stephen, is reproduced below.
This was a true community play which demonstrated all the strengths and power of the genre and was a wonderful display of teamwork, commitment and effort. Written and directed by a member of Double Act, Peter Smith, it wove together very effectively World War 2 local history with exciting and intriguing plot-lines to offer a delightful, entertaining and informative evening.
Double Act is a relatively small and very local group and works hard to encourage participation from the community. With this production it pulled out all the stops and achieved a very impressive standard in all departments: script, direction, acting, set design and construction, lighting, sound, costume and, very significantly, front-of-house.
It was a bold, ambitious, extensive production which in other hands could have sprawled out of control, but Double Act succeeded in it with aplomb. It was holistic, it worked as a whole – an intriguing story with an atmosphere and a period feel generated through a strong script, the excellent costumes and 1940s hairstyles, the superb set and props, clever use of lighting and technical effects, strong acting, strong direction and, very significantly, the attention paid to the Front-of-House and dressing of the auditorium. The programme too was a triumph, full of interesting tit-bits.
It was a great community play with a great community feel and that is precious.
Thank you Martin for those kind words.
So, on to the presentation ceremony in Exeter on 24th May 2025! Or as NODA indicated – “Get ready for a night of glitz and glamour at the NODA South West Awards Ceremony 2025!” – It certainly proved to be so!!
A small selection of Double Act members assembled at Exeter’s Sandy Park venue on 24th May where our group was presented with the NODA award certificates; one containing, and one not, the Citation text.
Double Act Certificates
Eight Happy Double Act Members! From the left- Dougal Dixon, Lindsay Dixon, Mary Newcombe, Peter Smith, Penelope Smith, David Watson & Hilary Watson.
Included in the event was a noisy and enjoyable bash to celebrate the achievements of the various groups receiving thespian related awards that evening. An official photographer continually toured to “collect the evidence” and a few examples of his work in relation to Double Act are reproduced below.
………..and finally –
Double Act Members being presented with their well-earned award by NODA National President, Graham Liverton.