Speech & Drama Classes – Senior & Adult
23rd-25th April 2026
Verse Speaking
| Class Code | Title | Section | Entry Fee |
| D7 | Poems: The Listeners – Walter de la Mare or Waterway Robbery – Richard Edwards | Year 7 & Under | £4.00 |
| D8 | Poems: Hide and Seek – Vernon Scannell or At the Theatre – A P Herbert | Year 8 & 9 | £4.00 |
| D9 | Poems: Blackberry Picking – Seamus Heaney or A poem set for GCSE | Years 10-11 | £4.00 |
| D10 | Poems: The Horses (or an extract) – Ted Hughes or A poem set for GCSE or A Level | Years 12-13 | £4.00 |
Own Choice Verse Speaking
| Class Code | Title | Section | Entry Fee |
| D11 | Own Choice | Year 7 & under | £4.00 |
| D12 | Own Choice | Years 8 & 9 | FREE |
| D13 | Own Choice | Years 10 & 11 | £8.50 |
| D14 | Own Choice Time Limit 3 minutes | Open | £5.00 |
| D15 | Humerous verse – Own Choice Time Limit 3 minutes | Open | £5.00 |
Individual Reading
| Class Code | Title | Section | Entry Fee |
| R1 | Prepared Prose Reading An extract from any book Time limit – 1 minute | Year 3 & under | £4.00 |
| R2 | An extract from any book by A) Francesca Simon or B) Roald Dahl Time limit 2 minutes | Years 5 & under | £4.00 |
| R3 | Prepared Prose Reading An extract from any book by A) J. K. Rowling B) Own choice | Year 6 and under | £4.00 |
| R4 | Reading at Sight Piece to be provided by the adjudicator on the day | 11 years & under – Year 6 and under | £4.00 |
| RM1 | Prose passage from memory Own choice 2 minutes | Year 6 & under | £4.00 |
| RB1 | Prepared Bible Reading : Luke 2 : Verses 8-16 Any version of the Bible | Year 6 & under | £4.00 |
| RBM.1 | Bible passage from memory Psalm23 (Any version) A gift token donated by Mrs A Jones will be presented to the winner of this class. | Year 6 & under | £4.00 |
Poetry Writing & Reading
| Class Code | Title | Section | Entry Fee |
| D71 | Original Poem – Written only | Year 9 & under | £4.00 |
| D72 | Original Poem – Written only | Open | £5.00 |
| D73 | Original Poem – Written & read | Year 9 & under | £4.00 |
| D74 | Original Poem – Written & read | Open | £5.00 |
An original poem should be no more than 36 lines and submitted 3 weeks before the Festival.
Individual Reading Classes
| Class Code | Title | Section | Entry Fee |
| R5 | Own Choice Time limit 3 minutes | Years 7 & 8 | £4.00 |
| R6 | Prepared Prose Reading Own Choice or any book by Anthony Horowitz Time limit 3 minutes | Years 9 & 10 | £4.00 |
| R7 | Prepared Prose Reading Own Choice or any book set in the school curriculum Time limit 4 minutes | Years 11 & 13 | £5.00 |
| R8 | Prepared Prose Reading Own Choice Time limit 4 minutes | Open | £5.00 |
Group Reading : A minimum of 3, maximum 10
| Class Code | Title | Section | Entry Fee |
| An extract from any book Time limit 3 minutes | £10.00 |
Sight Reading : The examiner will provide the extract
| Class Code | Title | Section | Entry Fee |
| R9 | Piece to be provided by the adjudicator on the day | Age 14 & under | £4.00 |
| R10 | Piece to be provided by the adjudicator on the day | Open | £5.00 |
Prose Passage from Memory
| Class Code | Title | Section | Entry Fee |
| RM2 | Own Choice Time limit 2 minutes | Years 7 & 8 | £4.00 |
| RM3 | Own Choice Time limit 3 minutes | Years 9 & 10 | £4.00 |
| RM4 | Own Choice Time limit 3 minutes | Open | £5.00 |
Bible Reading
| Class Code | Title | Section | Entry Fee |
| BR2A | Psalm 23 (Any version) | Years 7 | £4.00 |
| BR2 | Luke Chapter 5 Verses 17-26 | Years 9 & under | |
| BR3 | Matthew Chapter 8 Verses 5-13 | Year 11 & under | £4.00 |
| BR4 | Own Choice | Open | £5.00 |
Choral Verse Speaking
| Class Code | Title | Section | Entry Fee |
| CS3 | A) Any poem by Roald Dahl or Hilaire Belloc B) Own Choice | Years 7 & 8 | £10.00 |
| CS4 | A) Narrative poem or extract B) Own Choice | Years 9 – 13 | £10.00 |
Sonnet & Shakespeare Classes
| Class Code | Title | Section | Entry Fee |
| D25 | Sonnet Speaking Own Choice : Two contrasting sonnets Time limit 5 minutes | Open | £5.00 |
| D26 | Solo Shakespeare Own Choice Time limit 3 minutes | 14 years & under | £5.00 |
| D27 | Solo Shakespeare Own Choice Time limit 4 minutes | 16 years & under | £5.00 |
| D28 | Solo Shakespeare Own Choice Time limit 5 minutes | Open | £5.00 |
| D29 | Shakespeare Duologue Own Choice Time limit 6 minutes | Open | £8.50 |
| D30B | Shakespeare Acting Class A scene or part-scene from a Shakespeare play Time limit 40 minutes | Open | £12.00 |
Duologues
| Class Code | Title | Section | Entry Fee |
| D32 | Duologue Own Choice Time limit 4 minutes | 12 years and under | £7.50 |
| D33 | Duologue Own Choice Time limit 3 minutes | 14 years & under | £7.50 |
| D34 | Duologue Own Choice Time limit 4 minutes | 16 years & under | £7.50 |
| D35 | Duologue Own Choice Time limit 5 minutes | Open | £8.50 |
Character Study : One character only
| Class Code | Title | Section | Entry Fee |
| D63 | Own Choice Time limit 4 minutes | Years 7 & 8 | £4.00 |
| D64 | Own Choice Time limit 4 minutes | Years 9 & 10 | £4.00 |
| D65 | Own Choice (excludes Shakespeare) Time limit 5 minutes | Years 11-13 | £5.00 |
| D66 | Own Choice Time limit 6 minutes | Open | £5.00 |
Mime & Improvisation
| Class Code | Title | Section | Entry Fee |
| M69 | Original Solo Mime Own Choice Time limit 3 minutes | 14 years & under | £4.00 |
| M70 | Original Solo Mime Time limit 4 minutes | Open | £5.00 |
| M71 | Solo Improvisation Time limit 3 minutes | 14 years & under | £4.00 |
| M72 | Solo Improvisation Time limit 4 minutes | Open | £5.00 |
| M73 | Duologue Improvisation Time limit 5 minutes | Open | £6.50 |
| M74 | Group Improvisation Time limit 8 minutes | Open | £8.50 |
Entrants for improvisation should arrive at least 15 minutes before the class so that he adjudicator may provide the subject.
Public Speaking
| Class Code | Title | Section | Entry Fee |
| D81 | To talk on a subject of own choice With or without visual aids Time limit 5 minutes | Year 11 & under | £5.00 |
| D82 | To talk on a subject of own choice With or without visual aids Time limit 6 minutes | Open | £5.00 |
Group Acting : Copies of pieces should be sent with entry if possible
| Class Code | Title | Section | Entry Fee |
| D49A | A one-act play or single scene from a longer play Time limit 15 minutes | Year 6 & under | £10.00 |
| D49B | Devised drama. The theme or scenario should be given to the adjudicator before the class Time limit 10 minutes | Year 6 & under | £10.00 |
| D50A | A one-act play or single scene from a longer play Time limit 20 minutes | Year 7-8 | £10.00 |
| D50B | Devised drama. The theme or scenario should be given to the adjudicator before the class Time limit 15 minutes | Year 7-8 | £10.00 |
| D51A | A one-act play of single scene from a longer play Time limit 30 minutes | Year 13 & under | £12.00 |
| D51B | Devised drama. The theme or scenario should be given to the adjudicator before the class Time limit 15 minutes | Year 13 & under | £12.00 |
| D52 | A one-act play or single scene from a longer play Time limit 40 minutes | Open | £15.00 |
| D49B | Devised drama. The theme or scenario should be given to the adjudicator before the class Time limit 30 minutes | Open | £15.00 |
Performance Solos & Groups
| Class Code | Title | Section | Entry Fee |
| D54 | Acted Scene Scripted Three or more characters Time limit 12-15 minutes | Open | £10.00 |
| D55 | Acted Scene Devised Drama Three or more characters Time limit 12-15 minutes | Open | £10.00 |
| D56 | Performing Arts Solo A performance which includes at least two performing skills. Detail skills to perform on entry Time limit 5 minutes | Open | £5.00 |
| D57 | Performing Arts Group Scripted Drama A performance which includes at least two performing skills Detail skills to perform on entry Time limit 15 minutes | Open | £10.00 |
| D58 | Performing Arts Group Devised Drama A performance which includes at least two performing skills Detail skills to perform on entry Time limit 15 minutes | Open | £10.00 |
| D59 | Character Study Solos with Song Time limit 5 minutes | Open | £5.00 |
| D60 | Original Monologue Own composition Time limit 4 minutes | Open | £5.99 |
| D79 | Group Speaking To give a presentation on a theme which can include verse, prose, dance, drama & music Time limit 10 minutes | Open | £9.00 |
| D80 | Adult & Child * (Parent/Grandparent/Guardian & Child) To present a duologue, verse, prose or mime Time limit 5 minutes | Open | £8.50 |
Gaining Experience Classes
| Class Code | Title | Section | Entry Fee |
| D85 | Poem Own Choice Open to anyone who has not won First prize at this Festival Time limit 2 minutes | 12 – 15 years | £4.00 |
| D85B | Reading Own Choice Open to anyone who has not won First prize at this Festival Time limit 3 minutes | 12 – 15 years | £4.00 |
| D86 | Character Study Own Choice Open to anyone who has not won First prize at this Festival Time limit 3 minutes | 12 – 15 years | £4.00 |
| D87A | Poem Own Choice Open to anyone who has not won First prize at this Festival Time limit 3 minutes | Open | £5.00 |
| D87B | Reading Own Choice Open to anyone who has no won First prize at this Festival Time limit 3 minutes | Open | £5.00 |
| D88 | Character Study Own Choice Open to anyone who has not won First prize at this Festival Time limit 4 minutes | Open | £5.00 |
| D89 | Senior Citizen Solo * Poem, Monologue, Reading, Character Study or Story Telling Time limit 3 minutes | £5.00 | |
| D90 | Senior Citizen’s Group Entertainment * May include spoken and/or musical items Time limit 8 minutes | £8.50 |
* These classes can be competitive or non-competitive. Please state on the entry