YOU CAN'T STOP THE BEAT

Tomorrow's Talent at the Civic Theatre

29.06.08

The ever enthusiastic Gavin Wilkinson brought his troupe of young hopefuls to the awesome vastness of the Civic stage for the first time this year.

A good-natured audience enjoyed a mixture of show hits and front-cloth sketches: chatroom, chat show and chavettes.

Some of the performers were very young indeed – the aah-factor to the fore in Little People from Les Mis, and especially in I'd Do Anything, with a tough little Dodger and a tiny, tiny Oliver who gave a very assured performance.

Many of our favourite musicals were there – beginning and ending with Hairspray, and stopping off in Chicago, Rydell High and Old Siam. The ensemble was sometimes free-form rather than sharp, but there was often palpable energy in the routines. Among the many promising soloists was Billy Elliott – who gave us the show-stopper Electricity, and also proved a capable dancer in the finale.

But everyone got a chance to shine, and the cross-over curtain calls were a good idea, but would have needed a little more rehearsal to be collision-free.

The show was directed by Gavin Wilkinson with Emma Tapley, and guest artiste Corrie Mac brought some West End pizazz to the Civic Stage.