ADJUDICATOR
Samantha Tucker BA(Hons)
Samantha’s love of performing started at the age, of four taking part in both amateur and professional productions and she went on top study Acting, Directing and Textual Analysis as part of her drama degre, graduating from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth.
Samantha is a passionate supporter of the festival movement and set up and ran the Haverhill Performing Arts Festival for 10 years. Samantha is proud to be part of the movement that gives entrants the chance to showcase their work in a supportive and nurturing environment enabling them to take their work to the next level.
Samantha has taught Speech and Drama for more than 20 years and was principal of her own Drama Studio in Haverhill, Suffolk for over 12 years and directed numerous productions.
Samantha has been teaching Speech and Drama at the St. Faiths School, Cambridge for over 15 years, taking pupils through exams in a diverse range of subjects that include Acting, Public Speaking and Shakespeare.
Samantha is an adjudicator member of the British and International Federation of Festivals and is a member of the Society of Teachers of Speech and Drama.
When not working Samantha loves to curl up with a good psychological thriller , walk her Shih Tzu, travel and go to the gym.
The Scunthorpe Musical Festival is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement with the Author’s Licensing and Collecting Society. This means that entrants do not have to seek copyright permission for any poetry, prose or solo dramatic items* performed, to a time limit of ten minutes. Performers and teachers will be delighted to know that their participation in the festival means that authors will be directly reimbursed as a consequence of their work being performed at this festival.
Duologues and group dramatic activity are not covered by this agreement, and copyright for these items should be sought by performers at the time of entry.
Footnote: Solo dramatic items must be announced with the title and author at the time of the performance to qualify for copyright indemnity, and the performer must not change the words or gender of the character.
PLEASE NOTE THAT PHOTOGRAPHY IS NOT ALLOWED.
COPIES OF OUR CHILD SAFEGUARDING POLICY ARE DISPLAYED IN OUR VENUES
RULES FOR PERFORMERS
1. Those who gain or have gained the principal part of their income by teaching
either elocution or drama may not take part in any classes.
2. Where the terms “Primary” or “Secondary” are used to indicate age, this means that the performer should be of the appropriate school age.
3. DUE TO THE A.L.C.S. AGREEMENT ALL OWN CHOICE PIECES MUST BE STATED ON THE ENTRY FORM AT THE TIME OF ENTRY. FAILURE TO DO SO MAY MEAN THE ENTRY WILL BE RETURNED TO THE ENTRANT.
4. VIDEO CAMERAS AND STILL PHOTOGRAPHY ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE HALL. School teachers are asked to indicate this to parents prior to the festival. Thank you.
5. Performers are asked to be in the hall approximately 15 minutes prior to the stated time of the class.
6. “Speaking” classes to be from memory. “Reading” classes to be read from the book or text, NOT a photocopy.
7. In the event of large entries being received, the Committee reserves the right to divide the class into halves. A first, second and third will be awarded for each half.
8. There can be no substitution of performers after the closing date.
9. Photocopies of poems and prose handed in to the adjudicator cannot be given back due to new copyright laws.
10. Time limits must be adhered to, or marks may be deducted.
11. Choral speaking choirs are not to be conducted.
12. A copy of ALL OWN CHOICE pieces must be handed to the adjudicator prior to that piece being performed.
Teachers please note:
Any props used during the festival must not be left in the building after they have been used.
These MUST be removed immediately after the class has finished or by the end of each session at the latest.
Where performers are to costume, they should be ready in the main hall prior to their class and not wait for their turn in any other room.
REFERENCE BOOKS
- A Oxford Book of Fantastic First Poems
- B Invitation to a Mouse by Eleanor Farjeon
- C Read Me First
- D The Works 3
- E The Works 1
- F Poems by Eleanor McLoed G Poems for 7 years and under H Read Me 2
- I Works 4
- J The Nations Favourite Poems
- K I Like this Poem
- l Words Aloud
- M The Dragon Book of Verse N The Nations Favourite Poems
CLASSES
Copies of all the set poems are available from the Secretary.
AGE TO ACCORD WITH THE RELEVANT SCHOOL YEAR
Class 1A
Pre Reception Children
Test Piece : Own Choice of a traditional Nursery Rhyme
£2.50
Class 1
Verse Speaking Reception Class
Test Piece: Awkward Child by Rose Fyleman A/90
£3.50
Class 2
Verse Speaking Year 1 ( March– August Birthdays inclusive)
Test Piece Tiger A/10
£3.50
Class 3
Verse Speaking Year 1 ( September-February Birthdays inclusive)
Test Piece The Barn Owl E/195
£3.50
Class 4
Verse Speaking Year 2 ( March-August Birthdays inclusive)
Test Piece Leaves by Eleanor Farjeon B/29
£3.50
Class 5
Verse Speaking Year 2 (September-February Birthdays inclusive)
Test Piece Thoughts for a Cold Day Anon C/64
£3.50
Class 6
Verse Speaking Year 3 (March– August Birthdays inclusive)
Test Piece: Secret Friend by Stewart Henderson D/76
£3.50
Class 7
Verse Speaking Year 3 (Sept-February Birthdays inclusive)
Test Piece Who’s Afraid by John Foster E/111
£3.50
Class 8
Verse Speaking Year 4 (March-August Birthdays inclusive)
Test Piece: Wind by Eleanor Mcleod F/84
£3.50
Class 9
Verse Speaking Year 4 (Sept-February Birthdays inclusive)
Test Piece: The Lonely Scarcrow James Kirkup G/84
£3.50
Class 10
Verse Speaking Year 5 (March-August Birthdays inclusive)
Test Piece The Witches Ride by Karla Kushkin G/9
£3.50
Class 11
Verse Speaking Year 5 (Sept-February Birthdays inclusive)
Test Piece The Wind by Gareth Owen H/409/10
£3.50
Class 12
Verse Speaking Year 6 (March-August Birthdays inclusive)
Test Piece Autumn Guilt by Valerie Brum I/ 97
£3.50
Class 13
Verse Speaking Year 6 (Sept-February Birthdays inclusive)
Test Piece On a Snowy Evening by Eeanor Mcleod F/90
£3.50
Class 14
Verse Speaking Year 7
Test Piece Someone told the Wild Geese by Rachel Field H/292
£4.00
Class 15
Verse Speaking Year 8
Test Piece: Silver by Water de La Mare K/144
£4.00
Class 16
Verse Speaking Year 9
Test Piece: The Second World War by Elizabeth Jennings L/50
£4.00
Class 17
Verse Speaking Year 10
Test Piece : The Shell by James Stephens L /49
£4.00
Class 18
Verse Speaking Year 11
Test Piece Anthem for Doomed Youth by Wilfred Owen M79
£4.00
Class 19
Verse Speaking Year 12 and over
Test Piece The President by Leonard Clark
£4.00
HUMOROUS VERSE
A Copy of Own Choice Poems to be submitted at time of entry please.
Class 20
Humorous Verse Speaking Year 2 and under
Test Piece: Own Choice
Time Limit: 2 minutes £3.50
Class 21
Humorous Verse Speaking Years 3 and 4
Test Piece: Own Choice
Time Limit : 2 minutes £3.50
Class 22
Humorous Verse Speaking Year 5
Test Piece: Own Choice
Time Limit: 3 minutes £3.50
Class 23
Humorous Verse Speaking Year 6
Test Piece: Own Choice
Time Limit: 3 minutes £3.50
Class 24
Humorous Verse Speaking Years 7 and 8
Test Piece : Own Choice
Time Limit : 4 minutes £4.00
Class 25
Humorous Verse Speaking Years 9, 10 and 11
Test Piece : Own Choice
Time Limit : 4 minutes £4.00
Class 29
Prose Speaking 13 to 16 years
An Extract from “Eragon” by Christopher Paolini
Time Limit : 3 minutes £4.00
Class 26
Prose Speaking Year 6 and under
Test Piece an Extract from The Railway Children by E Nesbit Pub By Harper Collins
Time Limit : 1½ minutes £3.50
Class 27
Prose Speaking Years 7 and 8
Test Piece : An Extract from any Harry Potter Book pub Puffin
Time Limit 2 minutes £4.00
Class 28
Prose Speaking Years 9, 10 and 11
Test Piece : An extract from any book by Charles Dickens
Time Limit 3 minutes £4.00
Class 29
Prose Speaking Years 12 and 13
Test Piece : An Extract from the Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald
Time Limit 3 minutes £34.00
Class 30
Bible Reading Year 6 and under (Primary)
Test Piece St Matthew Chapter 14 verses 14-21
Any version of the Bible may be used, but a copy must be provided for the adjudicator
£3.50
Class 31
Bible Reading Year 7 and over (Secondary)
Test Piece St John Chapter 13 verses 1-17
Any version of the Bible may be used, but a copy must be provided for the adjudicator
£4.00
Class 32
Religious Verse Year 6 and under
Test Piece Own Choice
Time Limit up to 3 minutes £3.50
Class 33
Religious Verse Year 7 and over
Test Piece: Own Choice
Time Limit 3 minutes £4.00
ORIGINAL WRITING
The poem MUST be sent to the Secretary at the time of entry 20th January 2026 For Classes 34 & 35 please include your date of birth.
Class 34
Original Verse written by Primary School Students
Test Piece : Performers are required to submit their own choice composition which may be either rhyming or free verse. The poem may be either spoken by the writer or another person chosen by the writer.
£3.50
Class 35
Original Verse written by Secondary School Students
Test Piece : Performers are required to submit their own choice composition which may be either rhyming or free verse. The poem may be either spoken by the writer or another person chosen by the writer.
£4.00
Class 36
Original Verse Adult
Test Piece : Performers are required to submit their own choice composition which may be either rhyming or free verse. The poem may be either spoken by the writer or another person chosen by the writer.
£5.00
MIME CLASSES
IN ALL MIME CLASSES NO PROPS, OTHER THAN CHAIRS, MAY BE USED. IF POSSIBLE PERFORM IN BLACK CLOTHING.
Class 38
Solo Mime Primary
Test Piece: Baking or Fishing
Time Limit: 2 minutes £3.50
Class 39
Solo Mime Secondary
Test Piece: The Waiting Room or Shopping
Time Limit: 3 minutes £4.00
Class 40
Duo Mime Primary No Music
Test Piece The Hairdresser’s or The Interview or The Rescue
Time Limit : 3 minutes £3.50
Class 41
Duo Mime Secondary No Music
Test Piece : Own Choice
Time Limit : 3 minutes £3.50
Class 42
Group Mime Primary (not less than 4 people)
No Music Test Piece : A Visit to the Farm or At the Fashion Show
Time Limit : 5 minutes £6.00
Class 43
Group Mime Secondary (not less than 4 people) No Music
Test Piece : Own Choice
Time Limit : 6 minutes £6.00
DRAMATIC CLASSES
Class 44
Solo Dramatic Primary
Test Piece : Own Choice of an extract from a play or novel spoken by a character
Time Limit : 3 minutes £3.50
Class 45
Solo Dramatic Years 7 and 8
Test Piece : Own Choice of an extract from a play or novel spoken by a character
Time Limit : 3 minutes £4.00
Class 46
Solo Dramatic Years 9, 10 and 11
Test Piece: Own Choice of an extract from a play or novel spoken by a character
Time Limit: 5 minutes £4.00
Class 47
Solo Dramatic 16 years and over
Test Piece: Own Choice of an extract from a play or novel spoken by a character
Time Limit: 5 minutes £4.00
DUOLOGUE CLASSES
Class 48
Duologue Primary
Test Piece: Own Choice
Time Limit: 5 minutes (including any prop setting) £4.00
Class 49
Duologue 11 to 14 years
Test Piece: Own Choice
Time Limit: 6 minutes (including any prop setting) £2.10
Class 49
Duologue Years 7 and 8
Test Piece : Own Choice
Time Limit : 6 minutes (including any prop setting) £4.50
Class 50
Duologue Years 9-12 Test Piece : Own Choice
Time Limit : 6 minutes (including any prop setting) £4.50
Class 51
Dramatic Quartet Years 1 and 2
Test Piece : “Holiday” or “The Discovery”
Time Limit : 3 minutes £5.00
Class 52
Dramatic Quartet Years 3, 4, 5 and 6
Test Piece : “Where did that come From?” or “Oh, what a mess!”
Time Limit : 4 minutes £5.00
Class 53
Dramatic Quartet (Secondary)
Test Piece : “In the Nick of Time ” or “Pride Comes before a Fall ”
Time Limit : 4 minutes £5.00
Choral Speaking Choirs Are Not To Be Conducted
Class 54
Choral Speaking Years 1 and 2
Test Piece: Cats by Eleanor Farjeon or The Sounds of the Evening by Eleanor Farjeon both from Invitation to A Mouse AND Own Choice of one contrasting poem.
Time limit : 4 minutes £7.00
Class 55
Choral Speaking Years 3, 4, 5 and 6
Test Piece: Halloween by Leonard Clark or The Storm by Walter de la Mare and an Own Choice 5 minutes AND Own Choice of one contrasting poem.
Time limit : 5 minutes £7.00
Class 56
Choral Speaking Secondary
Test Piece: Macavity’; the Mystery Cat by T S Eliot or The Way through the Woods by Robert Frost and Own Choice of one contrasting poem
Time Limit: 8 minutes £7.00
Class 57
Choral Speaking (Adults)
Test Piece Either The Journey of the Magi by T S Eliot or Tarantella by Hilaire Belloc and Own Choice of one contrasting poem
Time Limit 10 minutes £6.00
Performers in Classes 58 to 60 must provide copies of Solo Verse, Prose and Choral Speaking which they may be including in their performance.
Class 58
Junior Theme Class Years 6 and under (not less than 5 people)
Test Piece: A programme devised by the group illustrating one of the following :
- i Summer
- ii In the Playground
- iii At the Circus
The theme must include at least three of the following skills:
- a. Solo Verse
- b. Prose
- c. Choral Speaking
- d. Recorded Music
- e. Live Music
- f. Mime and Movement
Time Limit: 8 minutes
£6.00
Class 59
Intermediate Theme Class Years 7 and 8 (not less than 5 people)
Test Piece: A programme devised by the group illustrating one of the following :
- i Winter
- ii Out and About
- iii Escape
The theme must include at least three of the skills listed above.
Time Limit: 10 minutes £6.00
Class 60
Senior Theme Class Years 9 to 11 (not less than 5 people)
Test Piece: A programme devised by the group illustrating one of the following :
- i Disguise
- ii Phobias
- iii Happy Days
The theme must include at least three of the skills listed above.
Time Limit: 12 minutes £6.00
Class 61
Shakespeare Character Study Years 6, 7 and 8
The piece selected must be acted
Test Piece : Own Choice of a speech from one of the following plays:
- I. Much Ado About Nothing
- ii. Romeo & Juliet
- iii. Midsummer Night’s Dream
Time Limit : 2 minutes £3.50
Class 62
Shakespeare Character Study Years 9, 10, and 11
The piece selected must be acted.
Test Piece: Own Choice of a speech from any play by William Shakespeare
Time limit : 4 minutes £4.00
Class 63
Shakespeare Character Study Years 12 and 13
The piece selected must be acted
Test Piece : Own Choice of a speech from any play by William Shakespeare
Time Limit : 4 minutes £4.00
Class 64
Shakespeare Character Study Adult
The piece selected must be acted
Test Piece : Own Choice of a speech from any play by William Shakespeare
Time Limit : 4 minutes £5.00
Class 65
Diary Reading Years 7 and 8
Test Piece : Own Choice of an extract from the Diary of Anne Frank
Time Limit : 3 minutes £4.00
Class 66
Diary Reading Years 9, 10 and 11 minutes Test Piece : Own Choice of an
extract from The Diary of an Edwardian Lady by Edith Holden
Time Limit : 3 minutes £4.00
Class 67
Verse Speaking Years 3 , 4, 5 and 6
Test Piece : Own Choice of any poem from Read Me Series of Books
A copy must be provided for the adjudicator.
£4.00
Class 68
Verse Speaking Years 7 — 12
Test Piece : The Nation’s Favourite Poems except any poem already set for the Festival
£4.00
Class 69
Sonnet Class (Secondary)
Test Piece : Own Choice of two contrasting sonnets
£4.00
Class 70
Prepared Prose Reading
Test Piece : An extract from any novel by Jane Austen
Time Limit : 3 minutes £4.00
Class 71
Musical Theatre Group (not less than 4 people)
Test Piece: To perform an extract from a Musical which must include spoken word and 1 musical piece accompanied by either recorded or live music.
Please note: Should entries be received from both Primary and Secondary ages, this class will be divided.
Time Limit: 15 minutes £8.00
Class 72
News Reading Years 5 and 6
Test Piece: Performers should prepare a news script which they will read as a radio news bulletin of 2 minutes duration. The script, which should be in the performer’s own words, should comprise news items which have been reported on radio, television or in the newspapers during January and February 2026 The adjudicator will assess both content and presentation.
£3.00
Class 73
Radio News Reading Years 7 and 8
Test Piece: As above, but a bulletin of up to 3 minutes duration.
£4.00
Class 74
Radio News Reading Years 9 and 10
Test Piece: As above, but a bulletin of up to 4 minutes duration
£4.00
Class 75
Radio News Reading Years 11 and 12
Test Piece : As above, but a bulletin of up to 5 minutes duration.
£4.00
Class 76
Open Theme Class
Test Piece : A programme devised by the group illustrating any one of the options listed in Classes 58—60.
Time Limit : 12 minutes £6.00
Class 77
Duologue Open
Test Piece: Own Choice of a Piece written for two Characters or an Extract from a Book
Time Limit 8 Minutes including setting. £5.00
Class 78
Humorous Verse Year 12 & 13
Own Choice
Time Limit: 5 minutes £5.00
Class 79
Bible Reading Year 12 & 13
Test Piece: St Luke Chapter 2 verses 1 to 20
£5.00
Class 80
Solo Dramatic Years 12 & 13
Test Piece: Own Choice of a speech by a Character from either a Play or Novel
Time Limit: 6 minutes £5.00
New Classes for 2026
Class 81 Duo Poem
Year 2 and under Own Choice of any poem spoken by two Characters each performer to speak one of the characters
Time Limit 2 minutes £3.50
Class 82 Secondary Age Performers
To perform a poem or piece of prose after speaking about the Poet or Author
Time Limit : up to 3 minutes £4.00