The Young Venture Players are never afraid of a challenge, so there was nothing unusual about this feisty little group staging Andrew Lloyd Webber’s, unique musical, Starlight Express.

Full credit to director, Gordon Collins, musical director Cathy Metcalf and choreographer Ben Hurley for ignoring all the usual restraints of regional theatre and transforming the Dolman stage into a veritable racing auditorium.

The plot follows a child’s dream in which his train set comes to life and engines compete to become the fastest engine in the world. The fact that these engines are actually humans on skates proved no problem for this fearless society, and it’s testament to their dedication and determination that they entered rehearsals without owning a pair of skates between them.

Fast, edgy and uplifting, this cast gave their all, and there were some stand-out performances from Joe Whittington as Rusty, the steam-engine written off as being too slow, Mia Gregory as the seductive, Pearl, Miles Harding as a very 80’s Electra, Lewis Mitchell, as the 'king' Greaseball and Josie Ash as the deliciously Southern, Dinah.

Rob Jones played a very soulful Poppa and Emma Collin (Buffy) and Megan Postle (Duvey) seamlessly kept the movement going whilst at the same time proving to be the mainstays of the backing vocals.

Two hours of energetic musical theatre at its best, you have until Saturday to catch up with it.