Curtain-up as amateur groups take centre stage

5:35pm Monday 8th September 2008

THE stars of amateur theatre celebrated a successful year with a glitzy awards night.

This year’s dinner and dance was hosted by comedian Dave Spikey, who paid tribute to the Bolton Amateur Theatre Societies (BATS) and entertained with a special performance.

The event took place at the Pennine Suite in the Last Drop Village Hotel on Sunday night, with awards voted for by readers of The Bolton News.

Hundreds of readers sent in their choices and Trinity Methodists took the prize for best play with their performance of The Wayward Spirit. St Vincents were second with The Gazebo and Bolton Little Theatre’s One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest was third.

Best musical was South Pacific from Farnworth Performing Arts, with St Philips second with Calamity Jane and Walmsley Church AODS third with Mack and Mabel.

Best comedy was Holiday Snaps by St Vincents, with Bolton Little Theatre's version of It Ain’t Half Hot Mum in second place and Farnworth Performing Arts Company’'s Cash On Delivery taking third spot.

Best panto was Trinity Methodists’ Jack and The Beanstalk, with Tyldesley Little Theatre’s version of Ali Baba in the runner-up spot and Robinson Crusoe and the Pirates by Farnworth Performing Arts in third.

BATS chairman Paul Cohen said: “It’s been another great year and it’s great that everyone joined together to celebrate that.”