College actors play for win

COMBAT READY: Some of the cast from the Rathkeale St Matthew's Senior College ready to do battle at the 2015 Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival, where the squad took the Outstanding Stage Combat Award.

Budding thespians from Rathkeale St Matthew's Senior College have walked away victorious from the national finals of the 2015 Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival.

Trinity Schools spokeswoman Natalie Finnigan said the annual festival was held at the St James Theatre in Wellington on May 30 and Rathkeale St Matthew's Senior School players rolled out a winning 15-minute slice of As You Like It.

Kuranui College also delivered a five minute scene from Richard III but failed to take an award at the festival, which comprised performances from 45 colleges throughout New Zealand.

The Rathkeale St Matthew's Senior College offering took the Outstanding Stage Combat Award and Rathkeale College pupil Reinhard Schwanecke, playing Adam, took the Award for Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role.

"Rathkeale and St Matthew's Senior College achieved a fantastic result at the national finals," Ms Finnigan said.

Marilyn Bouzaid, Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival Wairarapa regional organiser, said both the Trinity schools senior college team and the Kuranui College team had "performed to a high standard" at the national finals.