Southampton’s SUP Theatre Company won Best Play at the quarter finals of the Southern Region of the 2018 All England Theatre Festival (AETF) in Weymouth on Saturday April 7, with Bully Beef and Whizzbangs – written and directed by Chris Hawley.

SUP Co-chairman, Stephen Fenerty, was also nominated as Best Actor for his role as Harry.

This is the first time in 53 years that SUP, formed as Southampton University Players in 1965, has progressed to the semi-finals of this prestigious national competition. The next round – the Western Region Finals – takes place in Dawlish, Devon on Saturday 5th May.

“We are thrilled and delighted this brilliant production and cast have again been acknowledged,” says Alison Wells, Co-chairman of SUP Theatre Company. “Who knows what will happen in the semi finals, but we’ll all keep our fingers crossed. We would, of course, love to represent Southampton in the All England finals in June.”

Bully Beef and Whizzbangs, a darkly comic World War I tale set in the trenches of France, was written by SUP member Chris Hawley to commemorate the centenary of the 1918 Armistice. The one-act play, which features authentic costumes, props and a 12 foot section of trench, received its World Premiere at the 40th Totton Festival of Drama last month, where it won Best Play, Best Actor, Best Original Script and the Technical Achievement Award.

The 50-minute play is set to be presented in a charity fundraising performance at Enham Alamein village on Saturday April 21, at Royal Victoria Country Park in Southampton on Monday May 7, and in a double bill with another SUP one-act play at Eastleigh’s Rose Theatre on Saturday May 12.