A recent winner of the Manx Music Festival Drama Scholarship has travelled to London to complete a masterclass in performing Shakespeare.

Each year the Manx Music Festival awards a scholarship to a competitor aged between 12 and 25, nominated by the festival adjudicators.

The winner has the opportunity to attend a short course or summer school of their choice, or to have tuition on the island up to the value of £1,000.

Faye Pendlebury, who lives in Ballabeg, was 18 and a student of the Broadway Theatre Company when she was awarded the drama scholarship at the 2018 Guild.

Faye chose to attend a masterclass organised by the National Youth Theatre called ’Performing Shakespeare’, run by Owen Horsley, a theatre director who leads workshops around the world.

The course, which focuses on rhythms, techniques and methods in performing Shakespeare, required the attendees to perform the opening of Macbeth in small groups and take part in a court room role play.

Faye also had the opportunity to present a speech from a Shakespeare play and receive professional feedback on her performance.

She said: ’Winning the scholarship and being given the opportunity to complete a masterclass in performing Shakespeare in London has been a truly unforgettable experience and I was privileged to take part.

’During my free time, I was also lucky enough to enjoy trips to Covent Garden, The National Gallery and Apollo Theatre, which really added to the experience.’

She said the course ’will be of real benefit to my future theatrical career and will look great on my CV’.

The scholarship in its current format was created in 2017. It is awarded each year in rotation between drama, music, dance and singing.

The 2019 singing scholarship was presented to 18-year-old Joseph Long, who is deciding how to use it.

The 2020 scholarship will be awarded to a dance competitor at the festival, which will take place from April 25 to May 2. The festival is sponsored by Dandara.