A TALE of toys and adventure is being brought to life this week by members of Dorchester Youth Theatre.

The Stolen Heart is a strikingly visual comedy devised and brought to the stage by the county town youngsters, who initially planned to perform on Friday and Saturday this week.

But due to the bad weather and illness, Friday’s performance is now the technical rehearsal and there will be just one ‘proper’ performance on Saturday.

DYT leader Janey Lloyd said: “We were due to have the technical rehearsal last week but we cancelled it because of the severe weather warning.

“I have met with the theatre’s steering group and we all feel that it is too much for the younger children to go on stage for a performance they are not fully prepared for, because they haven’t done the production with lighting or music.

“So the technical rehearsal is on Friday and they will give a rip-roaring performance on Saturday.”

The Stolen Heart is the tale of lively, optimistic Madcap (played by Robin Hollis) and his friend Maudlin (Tom Brind), whose glass is always half empty.

Madcap tries to cheer him up with the tale of Halo the angel (Alice Dodd) and the loyal tin soldier Christian (Alex Albon), who risks his own life to rescue her from an enchanted forest.

But when Christian’s heart is stolen he has to go on a quest to Tanglewood, retrieve his heart and return to save Halo. But time is running out.

Other young stars to watch out for are Bella, the caring ballerina played by Fran Lummes, Jack-in-the-Box Jack Pursglove, punky fairies Elizabeth Raws and Maisie Dean and soldiers led by drummer boy Arran Green and drummer girl Annie McMillan Clyne.

Janey said: “The play is told in commedia del arte style which has meant that the children have had to learn to project out to the audience rather than the person they are sharing a scene with. Also, I really wanted to get the measure of the young people and give them a challenge.

“They are staging something they have created.”

The Stolen Heart is on Saturday, January 16, at 7.30pm in the theatre at Thomas Hardye School, Dorchester. Tickets are £4 from 01305 266926.