WITH a packed Brewhouse Theatre in Taunton on Sunday, February 10, expectation was high for a good afternoon of entertainment by the four Young Farmers Clubs competing for the coveted Performing Arts trophy.

Having secured two top adjudicators in Rebecca Pow, MP for Taunton, and Colleen MacMahon A.L.A.M, members knew they had to perform to their best ability.

Opening the show was a combination of members from Polden Hills, Highbridge and Wellington and Taunton YFC’s representing Sedgemoor Group with a production called ‘Where Next?’

This was written by club members Hannah Parsons and Will Hooper with sketches taking members around the World from Dublin to Australia and back.

One of the highlights of this show being exceptional dancing and performing by leading lady Katy Bond who had a special mention for her stage presence by the judges.

Wiveliscombe YFC opted to perform ‘The Adventures Of Captain Blood’ with a young cast of ruthless cut throat Pirates.

The rhyming script was performed with much gusto and swash buckling.

Great effort went in behind the scenes to produce a top set for this production.

Leading on from the interval Wedmore YFC, with a cast of ten members aged under 18 and just four senior members over 18 self wrote and produced their original Entertainments called ‘Our House’.

This performance was centred on a farming couple and their ‘sofa surfing’.

The audience was kept highly amused with reproductions of the TV advertisements ‘Go Compare’ and you’re so ‘Money Supermarket’.

These scenes were executed to perfection by Lloyd Hewish and the Best Actor Jack Nicholls who both remained key performers throughout.

How the cast got away with filming the visibly gun tooting mounted policeman, which was a take on the film Hot Fuzz in Wells Market Square we will never know!

The flake to top off Ice-cream in the productions was the vastly experienced cast of Kingbrompton YFC performing ‘A trip to Butlins’.

Twins Adam and Oliver Hill played comedic rural holiday makers with much humour setting the scene with their jokes.

A fabulous performance by the red coat dancers, including the all-round songstress and dancer Hayley Lloyd, who for the second consecutive year scooped Best Actress. It was a slick performance with well-choreographed dance routines.

Rebecca Pow MP when summing up, expressed what a pleasure it was to attend and adjudicate at her local theatre, informing the audience it was many years ago in 1986 that she treaded the boards as a Taunton Young Farmer member winning the National Drama Final in the Isle of Man with ‘James and The Giant Peach’, Rebecca winning the Best Actress trophy as The Narrator in that year. Rebecca especially enjoyed Wedmore YFC Hot Fuzz scene and Kingsbrompton YFC’s sketch where a relationship progress of one of the holiday makers Adam and Oliver was spelt out in chocolate bars.

Accompanying Rebecca adjudicating was ex school friend Colleen MacMahon herself an ex Salisbury YFC member and London Drama School qualified teacher. Colleen specialises in nurturing the performance of young people.

For Sedgemoor Group the highlight for her was the Irish Dancing and she gave a tip to Wiveliscombe YFC to make full use of the Somerset accent when playing Pirates – ooh arr!

Colleen gave very good feedback on the performer’s projection with the ability to perform without shouting and making full use of the stage.

Without doubt the winners on the day were Somerset Young Farmers who can feel proud to have such talented and enthusiastic members in the Federation!

Good luck goes to Wedmore YFC securing their place in the area finals at Weymouth next month.