7.83°C The excitement surrounding this year’s Keep Colchester Cool Awards for Local Theatre (formerly the Paulies) has been building since the nominations were announced. As always, the awards aim to celebrate the incredible achievements of our local amateur and community theatre scene, recognising the immense talent and dedication of everyone involved.
When I revealed the nominees, I reflected on how the principles and rules of these awards remain unchanged since I first created the Paulies. I must have seen all the nominated shows, and, of course, I can’t nominate anything I’ve been personally involved in. It’s always an absolute joy to experience the breadth and depth of talent in our local productions – and this year has been no exception.
The awards celebrate everything from outstanding plays and musicals to extraordinary individual performances. This year’s nominees set an incredibly high standard, with productions ranging from the powerful Equus and the heart-wrenching A Man of No Importance to the innovative Treatment and the classic Macbeth.
It’s now time to reveal the winners who captured the hearts and minds of audiences (and this judge!). Take a bow and a final round of applause for:
BEST PLAY
Equus (Headgate Theatre Productions)
An outstanding interpretation of the play, true to the text, and staged to the highest quality.
BEST MUSICAL
A Man of No Importance (Headgate Theatre Productions)
A beautiful show of love – unrequited, and the love of theatre. Staged with sensitivity and wry humour.
BEST ACTOR
George Penny for Alan Strang in Equus
A performance of professional standards – totally convincing, nuanced, and moving.
BEST ACTRESS
Laura Hill for Helene Irving in Ghosts
A complex role performed with sensitivity and conviction.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
James Potter for Macduff in Macbeth
I’d never seen Macduff performed this way – terrified of the fact he had to kill Macbeth. Original and superb.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Clare Allmond for Dora Strang in Equus
Clare perfectly captured the anguish of Alan’s mother, trying to understand why her “good” boy did what he did.
BEST DIRECTOR(S)
Sharon Carter and Toby Roberts for Equus
They took on one of the most challenging plays in theatre and triumphed. And they were first-time directors!
BEST MUSICAL THEATRE ACTRESS
Martha Mugford for Adele Rice in A Man of No Importance
A heartbreaking performance, capturing perfectly yearning and lost love.
BEST MUSICAL THEATRE ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Emma Theedom for Carla in Nine
Simply show-stealing in the role of a wronged mistress!
BEST MUSICAL THEATRE ACTOR
Gareth Gwyn Jones for Alfie Byrne in A Man of No Importance
Often shining in supporting roles, it was good to see Gareth break out and triumph in a lead part.
BEST MUSICAL THEATRE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Connor Pratchett for Robbie Fay in A Man of No Importance
A role that demanded confidence and sensitivity – an excellent, complete performance.
A special mention must go to this year’s SPECIAL AWARD recipient, Dr Cameron Abbott Betts, the visionary behind the Colchester Fringe. His hard work has transformed the festival into a ten-day celebration of international, national, and local talent, filling the city with creative energy and raising the bar for theatre in Colchester. Thank you, Cam, for your incredible contribution!
Once again, my heartfelt thanks go to all the nominees, the incredible teams behind every production, and the audiences who support our thriving local theatre scene. Here’s to another year of inspiring performances – and to the 2025 awards!
Paul T. Davies
