REVIEW: West End Showstoppers at Dereham Memorial Hall

What do you get if you put together a string of all-time favourite musical hits, a group of talented youngsters and a venue fit to serve many a stage show? An evening of first-class performance which will have the entire audience on its feet and grinning from ear to ear.

That was certainly the case on Friday evening as the up-and-coming stage stars from Dereham Operatic Society Youth Theatre Company (DOSYTCo) took to the stage at the town's Memorial Hall for their summer production.

West End Showstoppers featured an assortment of musical numbers from West End shows, ranging from classics such as Les Miserables, Oliver and Jesus Christ Superstar to newer productions, including Matilda and Once.

The cast of 30-plus youngsters, who range in age from eight to 19, opened the show with Step in Time from Mary Poppins before belting out one musical hit after another.

Maisie Dolman sang big number Tomorrow from Annie faultlessly while young Maddie Booth, who has only just turned nine years old, tugged the heart-strings with an adorable rendition of Les Miserables classic Castle on a Cloud.

Brodie Elgood and Daisy Barrett impressed the audience with their duet I Know Him So Well from Chess and Rachael Bird once again proved her voice to be as good as any in a professional production, singing What I Did for Love from Chorus Line.

Revolting Children from Matilda was an audience-winner and Avalon Murfet owned the stage when she powerfully sung And I Am Telling You from Dreamgirls.

Elliot Hunter got better and better as the show went on, raising his game with a passionate rendition of Gethsemane from Jesus Christ Superstar, and the whole cast left the audience with smiles on their faces, finishing with fun-filled You Can't Stop the Beat from Hairspray.

It was a top-notch production which again proves Dereham's wealth of talent, not only on stage but also behind the scenes.

Review by Kate Scotter