As a local writer and leader of a writers’ group in the town, I thought the competition was a great way to showcase the creative talents of Todmorden and staging the winning monologues at the Hippodrome using members of the Todmorden Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society (TAODS) made this weekend an unmissable prospect.

On Saturday evening the Hippodrome foyer was sold out, as it had been the previous night, and a buzz of excitement surrounded every table as we all studied the programme of the eight short-listed monologues that judges Tom Palmer, Mike Stott and Sheila Tordoff had selected from the original entries.

The focus of each monologue was Todmorden and the people of the town. I was surprised at the diversity of style, content and voice that the writers had used.

We had well realised historical lives as in the opening monologue ‘Annie Hurst Of Hanging Ditch’ by Jean Rees Lyons, followed by contemporary stories such as Becky Simpson’s take on social exclusion, ‘Sarah’, and Rosie Dempsey’s modern tale of redemption ‘The Judge’.

We were treated to bitter-sweet comedy from Arty Cox who wrote ‘Best Mates’ about relocating to Todmorden for love, and tragedy in the brilliantly researched ‘Maria’ by Peter Armstrong. even the supernatural was catered for in Madelaine Cullinane’s spooky comedy ‘When we Were Little Girls’.

While the competition’s focus was new writing, the evening was brought to life by the actors and directors involved with the monologues.

TAODS members Katrina Heath, Justine Sutcliffe, Liz Holland, Emma Winslow and Brenda Bell all gave brilliant performances as did 15-year-old Melissa Barker and the ever young Marion Reynolds.

Special mention must go to Marion who wrote, directed and performed her monologue ‘Cross Border Love’, a brilliantly conceived piece of writing acted with amazing aplomb.

Every competition must have a winner and Voices Of Todmorden was no exception. The judges awarded first prize to Alison Bunn for her monologue ‘Rings On The Old Oak Tree’.

It depicts the changing face of Todmorden as seen through the eyes of Hilda, played with amazing subtlety by Janet Spooner.

From a little girl at the close of the First World War, we travel with Hilda through her life, her loves and losses, her marriage and family until the close of the century.

To get so much information, character and feeling within the competition’s limit of 2,000 words is nothing short of amazing and I think it turned out a worthy winner.

The evening was a resounding success with the Hippodrome full-to-bursting with a highly appreciative audience.

The writing was of a high and consistent quality, the directors, actors, techies and back stage hands all worked so hard to bring everything to life and there was a great atmosphere from start to finish.