CHURT Amateur Dramatics Society (CADS) has held its first youth production in more than 10 years.

A group of nine young people, with ages ranging from 11 to 15, performed Phillip Ridley’s exciting and imaginative play Sparkleshark over the weekend of June 17-18 in Churt village hall.

This hugely successful production told the story of Beth, superbly portrayed by Sam Rawlings, the school ‘geek’ and bully fodder who takes refuge after school on the roof top of the tower block she lives in order to write her stories.

She is soon joined by Polly, played by Jasmine Nobbs with a gentle sensitivity, new to the school and finding her way. Then the ‘populars’ arrive, Natasha, Carol and Maddie.

Savannah Congdan, as Natasha, gave a dynamic performance as the confident girl whose father ignores her, Eliza Craig brought real warmth and humour to her ‘wannabe’ role as Carole and newcomer Charis Nobbs played Maddie with a believable innocence.

Then the school bully ‘Russell the love muscle’ arrives, giving Harry Bridges a chance to take on and believably deliver a role that was the complete opposite to his own personality.

With his two sidekicks Buzz and Speed, played with extraordinary comic timing by Alix Kelly and Rosie Roebuck - in fact the two girls played the boys’ parts so well that a number of the audience thought that they were actually boys - he starts to pick on Beth.

However she learns to fight back by using her imagination to involve the group in a story that allows them to all, through the cover of the fantasy tale, reveal something about themselves and the various problems they are all living with.

Supported by the dark and brooding Shane, Natasha’s ex-boyfriend - a mature and sensitive performance by Archie Allen - they follow the story to its dramatic conclusion, bringing in Polly’s brother Finn who has learning difficulties.

Finn’s presence frightens the rest of the group until they get to know and understand him. Archie Allen - in dual role as both Shane and Finn - played Finn with a gentle yet powerfully touching balance of physical power and confused innocence.

The play was brilliantly directed by Ruth Ahmed, who in only 10 rehearsals achieved a poignant, yet at times humorous, performance from every member of the young cast.

The production was so successful that CADS are hoping to take it to the Leatherhead Junior Festival next May.