With focus on the spoken language within the national curriculum, Bookfest partnered with Pentabus Theatre – the nation’s leading rural touring theatre company who is based in Shropshire to devise a wide-ranging competition for children to get them on stage, behind a microphone or in front of the camera to talk about the Book Award 2022 shortlisted books.

From February 2022, all schools on Book Award 2022 were able to access bespoke workshop films especially produced by industry leading practitioners from Pentabus Theatre to guide pupils in developing their competition entries.

WINNER:  By Indigo Exham, Carly Stewart and Isla Metliss from Longden CE Primary School:

Runner Up #1: By Class 3 at Cheswardine Primary School:

Runner Up #2: By Hay-Yee Hilton from Packwood Haugh School:

Runner Up #3:  By Jack Kinnersley, Lottie Frith, Emily Wootton and Laila Beech from Castlefields Primary School, Bridgnorth:

About the Competition:

Who could enter?

• The competition was open to all pupils who took part in Big Book Award 2022.
• Any age group welcome to enter (Years 5-6).

Entry criteria:

The piece of work was to be in the form of any one of the following based on any one of the six shortlisted books:

1.       A soliloquy written and performed to camera, inspired by one of the shortlisted books.

2.       A three-minute whistle-stop narrative of the chosen book, performed and captured on film. A radio drama.

3.       A radio drama (con

Judging:

The Judging Panel (made up of industry creatives from Pentabus Theatre Company who have produced the bite sized films and in-school workshops) made their final decisions based on:

• Accuracy (Is the piece true to the story? Does it create the right mood? Do the scene, costumes, and characters fit the story?).
• Creativity (level of creativity in angles, shots, animation, illustration etc; where different techniques are used to create a desired effect).
• Performance (How strong are the performances?).
• Does it draw you in? (How much does it make you want to read the book?)
• Story concept, e.g. character, plot development, ending.
• Enjoyability – does it make us laugh/cry/remember the piece.

The winning entries:

The best Creative Responses for each shortlisted title were screened at the Award Ceremony at Theatre Severn on 28^th April 2022.  The films also reside on Shropshire Bookfest’s You Tube channel.