"Showcase Spectacular" by Nottingham Arts Theatre Youth Group.

Nottingham Arts Theatre.

Sixty young performers on one stage and spread over nearly two and a half hours, covering musical theatre delights as well as extracts from plays, poems and readings.

For me it didn't matter that every note wasn't hit perfectly, what I did love was the passion and energy, as well as comradeship shown. The passion and energy was clear to see, but on the odd occasion where one of the youngsters looked a bit lost, there was someone else there to help carry them, and that is also what amateur dramatics is all about.

Not only are these young people taught how to sing, how to act and how to dance, but they are instilled with building confidence, and that also showed on stage tonight.

I can't possibly mention all sixty performers, but I will pick out just a few of my highlights from an evening that featured thirty nine separate presentations.

The Barrington family were well represented with Alfie, Amelia and Joshua, and I love this trio's confidence. My favourite musical ever, ever EVER was featured, represented by "Kids Games" from "Blood Brothers", a cracking start with "Opening Up" from "Waitress", a section from the poem "The Jabberwocky", "Song Of Purple Summer" from the brilliant "Spring Awakening", "I'd Do Anything" showcased some excellent vocals from Chloe Chapman and co.

Act Two included an extract from the brilliant play, which I still need to see on stage, "Noughts and Crosses", an energetic performance of "Greased Lightning", a wonderfully cute version of "Zipadeedoodah", "Ex Wives" from "Six", which was full of sass. I was blown away by Elizabeth Kenny's voice on "I Know Things Now", she is one to look out for in the future.

There was some wonderfully dramatic showcases, but for me Louis Elliment and Izzy's extract from "The Unreturning" was breathtaking.

I loved the choreography for "I Like To Move It", and here we saw many of these young people really letting go which I really enjoyed. Even more brilliant choreography on show in "I Hope I Get It", taken from "A Chorus Line", ending up with an amazingly energetic finale.

There were some issues with some of the sound from the mics but Oliver Read managed to keep all the musical balls in the air, most of the time.

Great lighting from Evie Webster.

My main negative would be the time taken between one act exiting the stage and the following act starting, but when you think of how many people are needed to clear one section and the next to enter the stage smoothly, I can appreciate the time lapse.

That aside, I had a great time, and I also got to "star spot" from this massive cast, and saw others that I'd seen before progress.

I am positive that Jessica Royce, Tia Elvidge and Jonah Williams are so proud of everyone on stage, as I know I would be. They delivered exactly what it said on the tin; it was a showcase and it was spectacularly good.