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Youth Theatre Reviews |
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Hooray For HollywoodBy Linda Jane Holmes Review by Steve Orme (2005) Eighty actors with no egos in a spectacular show that had some of the audience with tears in their eyes. It could only be a youth theatre production. Hooray For Hollywood shows there's an abundance of youngsters in Derby who have a promising future if their talent matches their enthusiasm. The Derby Playhouse Youth Theatre consists of thespians aged nine to 19 who are members of the Egg Theatre Academy. Many of them are making their theatrical debut in this new show. Hooray For Hollywood was written especially for the company by Linda Jane Holmes who also directs. It's a clever, witty romp through the golden age of cinema from the days of the first moving pictures to the cheaply made science fiction fiascos of the '50s. There are contrived moments when the author conjures up a line for an actor simply to get him or her involved. On the other hand, some of the characters were created by the cast through improvisations in rehearsal. According to the programme, the silent movie clips and the auditions for Scarlet O'Hara in Gone With The Wind were the inspiration of the actors; they're definitely among the finest in the show. A few of the youngsters struggled with their American accent and the odd one or two didn't project as well as they might. Overall though excellent dancing, fine comedy timing and good singing contribute to a superb evening's entertainment. Naturally enough some of the younger actors almost stole the show with commendable performances which belied their years. But Hooray For Hollywood is a huge success for everyone involved in the production.
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