Act out 2026

It’s always a pleasure to attend the Charming Theatre Company’s annual showcase for the drama groups. The afternoon was split into three sections for the Senior, Junior and Little Stars drama groups to perform in front of their loved ones, who, it is fair to say, are their biggest fans… and rightly so. I love sitting amongst them and soaking up the immense pride and adoration from the families but especially the grandparents. It’s a true testament to the inclusivity of the Charming Theatre Company to see how the younger members are encouraged and supported in their endeavours and progress.

The first set was from the junior group – aged 7 – 11 who were on a mission to solve the ‘Mystery of the missing Muffin’ accentuated by the sound effects of a duck quacking (provided by the cast themselves – with perfect emphasis and timing) much to the agitation of the Director played admirably by Harry and the obvious joy of the Technician Zach, who I was impressed to see twiddle nobs and move sliders at the appropriate time. I liked the performance from the detectives played by Edie and Evie who had comic timing off to a tee. Although for comedy highlight came from Nellie, the understudy, who was so funny. The comings and goings were well paced and very entertaining. Well done to all of the cast.

Next up were the Little Stars who are aged 4 – 6 and are quite frankly adorable. It really wouldn’t have mattered what they performed but they were truly enchanting and knew when they needed to speak and what to say with no prompting. The teachers should be very proud of their performance and the rapturous applause from the audience made their little faces beam with delight and excitement.

After a short interval we settled in to watch the senior group of 12‑ to 15‑year‑olds perform ‘The Audition’ from ‘A Chorus Line’. What followed was a genuine roller coaster as each character unfurled, their strengths and insecurities laid bare. I was struck by how instantly recognisable the personalities were from the young actors’ portrayals, and how quickly the emotional pull of their backstories took hold.

The auditionees stepped forward one by one—or not, in the case of James, played with glorious stroppiness by Joey, who then reappeared moments later as James’s equally obnoxious father. All of this unfolded under the wonderfully cynical gaze of Amaya as the Director. We watched the nervous, the shy, the over‑confident, the desperate‑to‑fit‑in and the quietly desperate youngsters each attempt their moment in the spotlight. The entire senior group acted with assurance; the comedy was well‑constructed and confidently delivered. I enjoyed Sophia’s spontaneous dance routine and her effervescent personality as Sally.

But the real pathos came from Carrie, whose longing for recognition from a father who barely acknowledges her existence was beautifully and movingly portrayed by Zoe—who, I’m told, stepped into the role only two weeks before the show. Huge kudos to her. She delivered her lines with an easy sincerity that grounded the scene beautifully.

Many thanks to the Charming Theatre Company for a delightful afternoon.

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