productions...

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Smile - The Musical
September 1998

Not only smiles but cheers all round as the Petersfield Youth Theatre scored its usual success at the Festival Hall last week with the UK premiere of the musical Smile, the story of a Californian beauty pageant which gave every member of the largely young female cast ample opportunity to display their talent.

As always it was the teamwork and enthusiasm engendered by the director and choreographer Nik Ashton, combined with his imaginative and innovative use of the stage, which made the greatest impression.

With the help of designer Amy Jackson, his handling of the song and dance numbers was masterly, and several stage pictures remain vividly etched in the mind.

Tom Muckley

A Royal Gala - The Albert Hall
May 1998

Petersfield Youth Theatre was selected to take part in a Royal Gala Charity performance at the Royal Albert Hall in aid of the Cancer Research Campaign. Ninety PYT members joined a cast of one thousand including some professional performers. They perfomed Smile from the Marvin Hamlisch musical of the same name, and Tomorrow from Annie. PYT member Charlotte Alldridge, aged 11 years, sang the solo accompanied by a supporting cast of two hundred.

Alice in Wonderland
December 1997

Alice in Wonderland's famously colourful characters came alive in a visual feast of Christmas entertainment at Petersfield Festival Hall.

Lewis Carroll's imagery was captured to the full in Petersfield Youth Theatre's most vivid all-singing all-dancing spectacular yet. Style was to the fore as scene after scene of this topsy-turvy world was played out by a cast of 94 bounding about in glorious costumes, ranging from can-can girls (a broadway addition to the original) through the peppery spoons of the Duchess's cook to the court's pack of cards.

The energetic production, directed and choreographed by Nik Ashton, provided a host of cameos to capture the lunacy of Wonderland.

Sara Hadwin

Annie
October 1996

Petersfield Youth Theatre's production of Annie packed the Festival Hall last week and doubtless would have continued to do so if further performances had been possible.

Allison Howarth's direction, in Nik Hill's ingenious, yet basically simple setting, was of the highest class.

Each member of the huge cast was completely at home and assured on the stage, and that definitely includes the butler and the dog!

Musical director David Rudling played his part too, his bare arm rising from time to time through a small opening in the covered part to give leads and to ensure the musical ensemble was fully in place.

Ann Pinhey

Mr. Quigley's Revenge
July 1996

Simon Brett on working with Petersfield Youth Theatre on Mr. Quigley's Revenge:

I was impressed from the start by how professionally the group approached the project. Though probably none of the adults involved - and certainly none of the children - earned their livings from theatre work, their standards were high enough to put many professional concerns to shame.

No detail was left to chance. Each problem - casting, setting, costume design, lighting, publicity - was approached with the same good sense and pragmatism. And yet, amidst all the hard work, the production never lost its sense of fun. For the younger members of the cast - many of whom were having their first taste of the theatre - it was clearly a very exciting experience.

Chicago
September 1995

Chicago, a musical vaudeville, was Petersfield Hi-Lights Youth Theatre's choice for their autumn production.

A wonderfully costumed, fast moving entertainment, it was driven by the enthusiasm of its young cast.

Once again the Young Hi Lights Youth Theatre put in the enormous amount of work required to make a complex production sparkle on stage.

Linda Daubney

The Wizard of Oz
September 1994

The Finale of Petersfield Hi-Lights Youth Theatre presentation of The Wizard of Oz was one of those truly special moments.

The audience had thoroughly enjoyed the wonderfully colourful costumes as they appeared in apparently never ending succession throughout the show.

But suddenly the wildly variegated scene resolved itself into a magically ordered pattern and there, before our eyes, spread the rainbow.

It provided the crowning moment to what was obviously a very enjoyable experience for the large young cast who worked hard to give their audience, a great many of whom were also young, an equally enjoyable evening.

Linda Daubney

The Wind in the Willows
October 1993

A theatrical barnstormer blew through the towering hardboard willows framing the stage of the Petersfield Hi-Lights Youth Theatre's long-awaited show at the Festival Hall last weekend.

Its smile-studded trail of music tore through the myth that youth theatre will always tend to be sweet but stilted, occasionally relieved with the humorous sound of hushed grown-up voices ordering some little petal on from the wings.

The Youth Theatre's production of Wind in the Willows came about because of rigorous planning and a campaign of fund-raising and photo-calls that could leave many local councillor's pre-election campaigns standing.

Luke Mariner

Godspell
September 1992

The circus came to town for three days last week, when the Petersfield Hi-Lights Youth Theatre performed their colourful and exciting production of Godspell.

Their production of the musical that launched David Essex in the seventies exuded a collective talent so powerful in range that it would be no miracle if a few local theatrical careers weren't themselves blessed at the Festival Hall last week.

Based on the gospel according to St Matthew Godspell is a fusion of message and song.

Luke Mariner

The Boyfriend
September 1991

Two years ago I wrote that the formation of the Junior Hi-Lights could have a far reaching effect. With this outstanding production they have come of age, so to speak, and have nothing to fear from our longer established companies. The Boyfriend has made many a reputation over the years, and this production could well herald a few more.

Ann Pinhey

Our Day Out
September 1990

Our Day Out, which was the first independent production of the Junior Hi-Lights from the Senior Hi-Lights Society, was performed recently at Petersfield School.

This presentation brought to the stage all the bubble and fizz that exuberant youth can muster, with undiluted enthusiasm sweeping the show along on a string of lively songs which were first rate.

The Junior Hi-Lights harbours some of the most dedicated-to-the-stage young talent imaginable, and it was a pleasure to see it come to fruition during the performance, with hardly a sign of nerves or hesitation in speaking their lines.

Many individual characters emerged from among the cast and it was obvious that each child was striving most successfully to identify with the part they played, and enjoying every minute of the performance with the back up of a superlative production team.

I particularly enjoyed the musical arrangements which were excellent, and contributed enormously to the success of the show.

Corrinda Brettell

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