"Act One Spectacular" by Nottingham Arts Theatre Youth.

Nottingham Arts Theatre.

Apologies for the lateness of this review but when I got home, I had to have a lie down as I was exhausted by the energy and talent that i had experienced this afternoon from the above amassed talents.

I'll also apologise that I can't possibly mention what every one of the seventy-eight young performers did on stage on Sunday afternoon, else I'd still be writing this time tomorrow night. What I can say though is that this group is one of the best, and most enthusiastic NAT groups I've seen, but then again every year gets better and better. Thirty-three performances  over about two and a half hours, back to back.

What I will also add is that these performances and pieces have been really well thought out and are completely appropriate for the ages performing them, and that I think is another reason why everything just fell into place and why these groups looked and sounded so at ease with what they were performing.

The performance groups have been separated into a few groups Groups 1, 2 and 3, Songsters and Songbirds.

I'll just mention some of the standout pieces for me on a personal level.

The show started off with "Bikini Bottom Day" from "Spongebob The Musical" and featured Group 1 and Fergus Hillery. A lovely fun piece to set the tone.

One of my favourite films has to be "Grease" and I love the stage musical as well, so following Spongebob was the scene from "Grease" where Sandy and the Pink Ladies meet and Danny and the Thunderbirds are reconciled at High School and they talk about what they did over the holidays. This of course leads into "Summer Nights" with Charles Beckett playing Danny and Amelie Burgess playing Sandy.

"Poositivity" from "The Little Mermaid" came next which is a brilliant fun piece to sing and featured Leo Capaldi and Harry Merrick.

"Seasons Of Love" from Jonathan Larson's "Rent" is a lovely ensemble piece and performed by The Songsters featuring lead vocals from Roxy Smith and Jack Kent, both singers I've seen a few times on the Nottingham Arts Theatre stage.

"When I Grow Up" from "Matilda" was an energy fuelled routine performed by Songbirds featuring the talents of Darcey Orwin, Leo Capaldi, Polly Sibley and Atia Morrell. This was followed by "Naughty", performed by Isabel Pullen.

Closing Act One was a piece from "Peter Pan the Musical" called "You Gotta Believe" by Group 1 featuring Rosie Jones.

Also featured in the first half were pieces from "Cats", "Tangled", "Barbie the Film", "High School Musical" and "13 the Musical" as well as a smattering of other extracts and devised pieces.

Act Two opened with the bouncy "I Love To Boogie" which was featured in the film "Billy Elliott" by T Rex, and performed by Group 3.

One of the youngsters who I have watched grow on stage as a performer is Elizabeth Kenny who performed a solo monologue called "Tar Beach". One thing I love about Lizzie's acting is that she looks to really feel the piece that she is doing and becomes the character in the monologue. Visually and in her face she seems to make sure that you feel every word that she is delivering. Lizzie is a wonderful little performer, singer and dancer and even as part of a group, you seem to gravitate towards her. 

Another really fun piece was "Zero To Hero" from "Hercules" performed by Group 1 featuring Varvara Ivanauskaite, Betty Metson-Scott, Isobel Burchell, Adliegh Chappell-Royce and Rupert Shaw.

Another young performer who I've noted over the years is Seth Burgess, who I last saw in "School Of Rock" last year at the Arts Theatre,  performed "When I Get My Name in Lights" from the musical "The Boy From Oz". Even with what sounded like a bit of a sore throat, Seth managed to belt out this song brilliantly.

Darcey Orwin performed "I Cain't Say No" from another of my favourite musicals "Oklahoma".

Following this was Group 1 performing "I Wanna Be Like You" from "Jungle Book".

"Bugsy Malone" is such a wonderful film and musical which is the perfect vehicle for young actors and was brilliantly entertaining when Group 2 performed a scene from the musical as well as "Fat Sam's Grand Slam".

There was a piece called "Houses Of Parlyament" which was great fun and performed by Fergus Hillery, Louis Dickson and Adleigh Chappell-Royce.

Showing that as well as fun pieces, these kids can also deliver emotive scenes and "The Letter" from "Billy Elliott" was done just right by Abigail Newman, Leo Capaldi and Evie Dickens.

One of the highlights, among many from the musical "Matilda" is the one where Miss Trunchball makes Bruce eat his way through a whole chocolate cake as penance for stealing a slice of her cake. This scene was re enacted with such fun by Group 2 featuring Noah Shaw, Seth Burgess, Teddy Hunt, Moriah Lindo and Martha Kemp. Noah as Bruce was wonderful in his role.

One musical that isn't performed that often is "The Prom" and one of the best songs from that soundtrack is "It's Time To Dance" and Group 3 featuring Isabel Pullen, Flossie Bailey, Josie Hollingworth, Alex Michael and Jasper Duff. This was a great vehicle to show off Alex's groove because this young man has rhythm which he got to highlight throughout the evening.

The closing number was a complete ensemble number with all groups on stage and singing "This Is Me" from "The Greatest Showman", an apt closing number hitting home that these performers are some of the greatest young show people locally.

Also featured in the second act were pieces from "Amelie", and "Cars" as well as extracts from various other shows.

Group 1 were Adleigh Chappell-Royce, Annie Shepherd, Asger Dobbs, Betty Metson-Scott, Fergus Hillery, Isobel Burchell, Lillian tattersall, Louis Dickson, Reuben Clarke, Rosie Jones, Rupert Shaw, Sophia Smith, Theo Clarke and Varvara Ivanauskaite.

Group 2 were Abigail McGregor, Benjamin Green, Darcey Orwin, Ellie Strang, Elizabeth Kenny, Francesca Atwell, Harry Merrick, Imogen Pullen, Isabella Tattersall, Josie Leigh, Leo Capaldi, Martha Kemp, Mia Woodward, Moriah Lindo, Noah Shaw, Polly Sibley, Scarlet Stewart, Seth Burgess, Stella Walker and Teddy Hunt.

Group 3 were Abigail Newman, Alex Michael, Alisia Carolea, Amelie Burgess, Bluebell McEntee-Burton, Charles Beckett, Daisy Kemp, Edie McKenzie, Emelia Pound, Evie Dickens, Florence Everitt, Flossie Bailey, Heather Beardmore, Isobel Pullen, jasper Duff, Josie Hollingworth, Lottie Robinson, Maisie Fletcher, Maisie Shelley and Neve Boyles.

The Songbirds were Atia Morrell, Darcey Orwin, Elizabeth Kenny, Elizabeth Rhodes, Fergus Hillery, La-Mai McKenzie, Lauren Turley, Leo Capaldi, Louis Dickson, Mia Woodward, Orla Donohue, Polly Sibley and Sophia Smith.

The Songsters were Charles Beckett, Connie Tegerdine, Ebony Smith, Elizabeth Fitzgerald, Emeila Pound, Evelyn Byfield, Flossie bailey, Florence Everitt, Jack Kent, Maisie Fletcher and Roxy Smith.

Behind this massive constellation of stars is a great deal of hard work by Jessica Royce, Keira Dorma-Hazell, Jonah Williams, Eleanor Carty, Charlotte Clay, Jack Kent, Elizabeth Fitzgerald, Gareth Morris, Evie Webster (Lighting), George Wilson (Sound), Kate Russell, Oliver Sheard, Arlo Perrons, Alison Russell, Amanda Warriner, Esther Coleman-Smith, Christopher Surridge, Kath Cumbers, Alexandra Stewart, Zoe Turton and Sean Ince in their various roles behind the scenes.

It was also lovely to see the Arts Theatre packed out for this showcase, all enthusiastically appreciating every young person on stage. Hopefully the capacity will be matched in April when NAT Youth put on Act Two Spectacular. I personally can't wait and have my tickets already for even more star spotting.