A Bermuda theatre group's pioneering trip to a major US festival proved to be a resounding success.

Apart from playing to two sell-out audiences in North Carolina, the media gave Creative Perceptions a rave review.

The biennial, week-long National Black Theatre Festival has traditionally been an American-only event.

Creative Perceptions performance of Collage was the first time an all-Bermudian cast had been featured.

Delighted writer and producer Ms Patrice Frith said: "We went there expecting only a couple of people to turn up at the performances.

"I never thought this play would go out of City Hall, but we were playing to sell-out audiences in North Carolina. The theatre held 100 people and it was full both nights.'' The Winston-Salem Journal's art reporter Mr. Roger Moore reported: "Collage, a modern comic melodrama from Bermuda, is a show that says something of the embarrassment of riches that those booking this year's national Black Theatre Festival had to deal with.

"It's a funny play and deserved a bigger space than the tiny Ring Theatre at Wake Forest University and deserved a longer run.

"The drama is strictly crowd-pleasing `This Week on Oprah' stuff. With a little work and the right showcase (a bigger hall) this could be the centrepiece of a future festival.'' The majority of the cast and production team are mentioned in the review, which appeared in last Friday's Journal.

Ms Frith said they arrived home over the weekend. She said: "We had a great reception at the festival. It was excellent.'' THEATRE TRIUMPH -- Members of Creative Perceptions following their successful trip to North Carolina. From left, front: playwright and producer Ms Patrice Frith and director Ms Enid Christopher. Rear, actors Ms Lauren Perinchief, Mr.

Sandy Thomas, Mr. Wayne Furbert and Ms Jewel Eve.