It is festival time again and the All-Ireland One Act competition, under the auspices of the ADCI and the DLI, gets under way this month. Naas were first off, Skerries, Cork and Trim follow at the weekend. Haulbowline and Kilmallock take the stage from October 30th to November 1st. The remaining preliminary festivals are in November. These are at Kilmallock, Balbriggan, Screen, Dalkey, Palmerstown, Maudabawn, Newtownabbey, Ballymahon, Downpatrick, Pallasgreen, Glenamaddy, Manorhamilton, Kilmuckridge, Rossmore, Tuam, Doonbeg, Shannon and Waterford. The National Finals will be at the Backstage Theatre, Longford from Friday, December 4th until Sunday, 6th.

This event is sponsored by AIB; Gus Hanley (043-41553) is festival director. Irene Rostron, who gave Enniscorthy its first win at Athlone in 1996, will adjudicate. A former artistic director of Manchester's Experimental Theatre Club and a member of the Scottish Association of Speech and Drama Adjudicators, she has adjudicated throughout Europe. In spite of some controversy at certain festivals last year, Rule 13 still stands. It states that: "Any group involved in organisation of a festival may not participate in that festival except on a non-competitive basis." Other changes are: "Rule 2. Plays must not exceed 55 minutes in duration. Penalty for exceeding this time is automatic disqualification. Approximate running time must be stated in advance." "Rule 4. Penalty for violation of rule on prohibition of sets is disqualification. Festival committees shall endeavour to provide adequate storage space for groups' props, etc prior to and, if necessary, after their performance." "Rule 14. Festivals must furnish groups with stage plans and details of lighting facilities, together with official entry forms and set of new rules." "Rule 22. Points for third place will be awarded only if a minimum of four plays have taken part in a competition (open and confined). An adjudicator has the discretion to withhold any award or placing if in his/her opinion an adequate standard has not been achieved." "Rule 29. The All-Ireland One Act Committee (Joint DLI/ADCI) reserves the right to amend these rules and shall have the sole discretion in any matter regarding their interpretation and observance of same by any participating group."