Arts Award on Voice

Common People. Where do I start? This was my very first festival, and it was most certainly an experience that I'll never forget. Here are the highlights.

Boundless energy and fast-paced sketches had the audience guffawing with laughter throughout this hour-long show, where adult (should that be child?) humour scored the biggest laughs.

A hilarious comedy play that took on the ridiculousness of pop culture and modern life.

The Ethereal plane collides with reality in this suspenseful, church-set show.

The Late Shows are Newcastle's answer to Museums at Night, offering completely free events, aimed at both families and adults, in museums, galleries and art spaces across the city for two nights only in May.

Three identically and unusually dressed strangers turn up at a girl's doorstep in the middle of a snowy night. An intriguing premise for an intricate plot, a philosophical reflection, and a very funny show.

A mother and a son deal with all of the above, in a play which didn't quite hit the right notes.

Funny, insightful and well-choreographed: the perfect words to describe this piece.

A Shakespearean romance/tragedy; lots of kissing, lots of dying, lots of drama...

Dark humour playfully dances on the thin line between imagination and reality - Written by Peter Kenny

Idiosyncrasies become normality for the audience, as the actors' performances flourish amongst the ingenious direction.

Exploring themes of betrayal, deceit and love (obviously), The Half Life of Love, an original play written by Gail Louw, delves into the dysfunctional relationships between its three characters.