BROADWAY Showtunes never fails to lift the spirits with its annual, enthralling, whistle-stop tour of the West End and the other side of the pond.
But if you need a specific excuse to get a ticket this year I've got one for you - Chaplin.
The Big Little Theatre School's interpretation of this lessor-known musical is truly breath-taking and proof if it were needed that these students are not your average theatre school kids.
Their professional training shines throughout the show but the black and white brilliance of the Chaplin set before the interval brings tears to the eyes and a renewed admiration for the top-quality teaching received by this lucky group of performers.
The show features more than 150 children from Big Little's youth theatre companies with song and dance from a wide-ranging array of shows.
Traditionalists will love the opening sequence from Mary Poppins and the elegance of My Fair Lady with sections from Sweeney Todd and Legally Blonde providing a more contemporary feel.
The skills demonstrated in Cabaret put this show on a different level to any other amateur production I've seen in years.
Aladdin, Oliver and Summer Holiday are certain crowd-pleasers and I challenge you to ever watch a cuter version of Barnum, performed in the show by the youngest group, the Footlights.
Students from eight to 19 put their hearts and souls into every performance and it's no surprise that many go on to the country's top theatre schools.
Broadway Showtunes runs until Saturday night at Bournemouth's Pavilion Theatre. I would highly recommend it.
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