5:19pm Friday 20th November 2009
Just So CATS Youth Theatre Theatre Church, Seymour Road, Astley Bridge RUDYARD Kipling’s Just So stories are a childhood favourite, and this adaptation retains all the charm of the original tales.
CATS have an impressive reputation to live up to, but director Louise Cohen proves why they are widely considered one of the best youth theatres around with this lively, polished performance.
The show is a collection of the various stories, loosely spun around the Tale of the Elephant’s Child and the Crab That Played With The Sea, but with other favourites animals including the leopard, the giraffe, the rhino and the zebra making an appearance. Exceptional in the lead role of the Elephant’s Child is Josh Martin, who at just 17 years old, shows an impressive acting range and a voice that could see him become a musical theatre star of the future.
There is also plenty of other talent on stage, and special mentions must go to Rebecca Hamer and Debi Henshaw, whose portrayal of the zebra and the giraffe as flirtatious “It Girls” was hilarious, and to Lewis Granger who played the rhino as a charming schoolyard bully.
Eleanor Martin played the female lead of the Kolokolo bird with charm, and there were some moving moments as she built up the courage to see if she could fly. And Matthew Howard-Norman held the whole thing together as the wise Eldest Magician.
The cast as a whole pulled off some complicated choreography with panache, and in the big musical numbers like the Just So theme, demonstrated a professionalism well beyond their years.
It would be nice to see the final night of this excellent show a sell-out. This Youth Theatre company could give most adults a run for their money, and as the future of Bolton’s theatre deserve all the support they can get.
Kat Dibbits Runs until tonight
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/trade_directory/