Our House Horwich Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society

The Albert Halls, Bolton

Runs until May 28

Ticket Line: 01204 334400

Horwich Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society have gone and done it again!

Last year, the thought of going to a musical filled me with nothing but dread.

That changed when I went to review the group’s production of Footloose, which ended up scooping the Best Musical Award at the BATS awards.

If there is any justice, that feat will be repeated this year because their version of Our House - at the Albert Halls until Saturday night - is absolutely fantastic.

For those who do not know, Our House is a musical love story told through the many hits of ska band Madness.

It follows Joe Casey through two version of his life - the right way and the wrong way.

In the lead role Adam Whittle is superb - getting the balance perfect between his character on the right side of the tracks, and the wrong.

Life looks good for Joe with a beautiful girlfriend Sarah - played by the equally superb Felicity Eccles - and his whole life ahead of him.

Then, in a bid to impress Sarah, he breaks into a vacant property and the couple are caught leaving Joe with two choices - run or stay and take the blame.

During the next couple of fun-filled, and very energetic, hours, we find out how his life pans out in both directions and the way Whittle switched between good Joe and bad Joe was impressive.

The ensemble were note perfect and the choreography was a step above what one could come to expect in amateur theatre.

Special mentions must go to Peter Henrys and Ben Whipp who are excellent as Joe’s gormless mates and Zoe Tompkins and Hannah Wyre who, as Sarah’s highly strung friends, reminded me of so many girls I used to go to school with.

As Joe’s dad, Connor O’Beirne keeps cropping up in a ghost-like angel of doom while his mother, played by Judith Firth, injects some very touching moments into what is, at times, a laugh-out-loud production.

I have to be honest and admit that I did not think Horwich AODS could top last year’s Footloose extravaganza.

But, not for the first time, I have been made to look a little foolish.

Our House is a triumph!