WHERE DO you go to after you’ve been in “Short+Sweet,” now in Canberra for the seventh year running.

Not necessarily anywhere, says Festival director, Kate Gaul, it’s more a matter of giving people the chance and the confidence to stand up in front of an audience away from the pressure of a major show. — it depends on what your aims are.

Over the coming fortnight the festival will showcase the best of ACT writing, directing and acting talent. 20 of the 30 plays were written in the ACT and as always, “Short+Sweet” represents all the types of theatre – comedy, drama, physical, musical, poetic, absurd, cabaret all of 10 minutes or less.

Drama, comedy, romance and musicals are all part of the mix of “green with experienced” – where audiences are asked to expect the unexpected…. the only thing that is sure is that each production is only 10 minutes long.

With what Gaul calls the threefold aims of development, showcase and excellence, the festival features Saturday wildcard nights make way for edgy plays or possibly latecomers, then it climaxes with a gala final on Saturday, August 15, when the most outstanding 10 plays, are selected by judges in the audience, will compete for the ultimate crown of winner.

But that’s not really very important—”Making and telling a story is not about prizes,” she says.

Canberra performer/writer Ruth Pieloor is a veteran of “Short+Sweet”, having been in it all seven years. This year she’s performing her play, “Baby Blues” in which she manipulates, expertly, a highly articulate baby puppet bent on criticising her “gutless mum” while complaining about being used as a “fashion accessory” — it’s cutting but it’s hilarious.

“Short+Sweet” 2015, at the Courtyard studio, Canberra Theatre, until Saturday August 15, bookings to canberratheatrecentre.com.au or 6275 2700.

Full program:

WEEK ONE TOP 20

Tuesday 4 August, 7.30pm

Wednesday 5 August, 7.30pm

Thursday 6 August, 7.30pm

Friday 7 August, 7.30pm

WILDCARDS

Saturday 8 August, 2.30pm & 7.30pm

WEEK TWO TOP 20

Tuesday 11 August, 7.30pm

Wednesday 12 August, 7.30pm

Thursday 13 August, 7.30pm

Friday 14 August, 7.30pm

GALA FINAL PREVIEW (all voting takes place at this performance)

Saturday 15 August, 2.30pm

GALA FINAL + AWARDS

Saturday 15 August, 7.30pm