Review: Talented Burnley children triumph in musical showcase

I found the perfect antidote to all the political turmoil leading up to the General Election.
The cast of Decades Apart performed by Shooting Stars from Basics Theatre School. (photo by Andy Ford)The cast of Decades Apart performed by Shooting Stars from Basics Theatre School. (photo by Andy Ford)
The cast of Decades Apart performed by Shooting Stars from Basics Theatre School. (photo by Andy Ford)

And it was the cast of Decades Apart from Basics Theatre School,who made me laugh and cry in equal measure, with a superb showcase of hits from some of our best know musicals.

Watching these talented youngsters on the stage at the Pendle Hippodrome Theatre in Colne was a fantastic way to spend a Saturday evening.

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Performers from the Shooting Stars section, who are between the ages of eight and 14, really gave their all with a selection of solos and group performances from several different musicals including classics like Cabaret, My Fair Lady, South Pacific, Grease and Evita to modern day shows Rent, Finding Neverland, Matilda, Wicked and Hamilton.

Some of the cast from Basics Theatre School show Decades Apart (photo by Andy Ford)Some of the cast from Basics Theatre School show Decades Apart (photo by Andy Ford)
Some of the cast from Basics Theatre School show Decades Apart (photo by Andy Ford)

I love musicals so this was a real treat to see the children deliver their own take on some timeless hits like Hopelessly Devoted To You by Isobel Parker who, at the age of 10, made the song her own with a voice that is both sweet and powerful. Eloise Whittle is another performer with an amazing range and I loved her rendition of Wouldn't It Be Loverly from My Fair Lady along with Darcie Brown singing I Don't Know How To Love Him from Jesus Christ Superstar.

One of my favourite songs is I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair from South Pacific and Rea Webster's version was both sweet and sassy.

Jolie Forrest, who performed Popular from Wicked, is a complete natural when it comes to singing and dancing.

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She would not have looked out of place on the West End stage.

And Evie Musso was in class of her own singing Don't Cry For Me Argentina from Evita. She delivered this classic song with the maturity of someone 20 years older.

It was clear to see the children have spent hours rehearsing their set pieces that they must have performed numerous times but they still delivered every number as if it was the first time.

Well done to each and every one of you, the show was another triumph.

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The cast also included: Charlie Birtwistle, Ruby Yates, Amelia Lancaster, Hannah Reid, Harris Rafferty, Millie Holmes, James Chadwick, Kate Hollingsworth, Summer Stubbs, Hughie Higginson, Kayley Corrigan, Evie Brown, Grace Tomlinson, Chelsea Alexander, Faith Yeoman, Tobyn Thorpe, Madison Stockton, Lottie Norwood and Libby Hall.