A THEATRE based in a former school building has scooped two awards and 14 nominations at a glitzy ceremony.

The Manifest Theatre, in Oxford Road, Manningtree, received recognition across a number of categories at the North Essex Theatre Guild Awards night.

Val Taylor, one of the theatre’s founders, came away with the Best Director Award for her work on Roleplay, a play by Alan Ayckbourn which deals with metropolitan angst and moral confusion.

She said: “It took 27 people to put this production on and I couldn’t have done it without the team.

“I hadn’t seen this play done before, I just found it and thought it’s a nice set – the set building was amazingly done. Theatre is the joy of my life and I wish I could express it properly in words.”

The theatre's Alison Baker also clinched best actress for her role as Julie Ann-Jobson in the same production.

Friday’s ceremony, at the Princes Theatre in Clacton, saw the Manifest receive 14 nominations this year for categories, including set design, costume, construction and dressing and best young actor.

The Manifest Theatre hosted its first production in 1979 and is completely voluntary.