The author, famous for books such as The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs And Ham and Horton Hears A Who, has helped countless children over the years to master the art of reading and delight in the possibility of not just reading, but playing with language too.

Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahren’s book, lyrics and music, based on Horton Hears a Who, is a wonderful piece of work and the Young Theatre Company presented such a brilliant interpretation of the work that my young guest and I came away quite stunned.

This musical worked it’s magic by gripping the observer right from the start. As soon as the curtains opened we were assaulted with the bright colours and quirky designs typical of the Dr. Seuss books.

Costumes, props and make-up were chosen with an expert eye for detail and were an integral part of the production which involved fifty senior students of the Young Theatre Company with ages ranging from 10-20.

These young actors included some of the most talented singers I have heard in the last few years on my rounds on the amateur dramatic circuit.

Aidan Banyard, Zoe Banyard, Sophie Gledhill, Kathryn Stead and Leanne Fotheringham had considerable parts to play and executed them with style and humour, and a sheer love of singing.

This is not to detract from the rest of the cast who, being so great in number, are too great to mention, but too talented and vivacious to leave out.

The story of Horton the Elephant who hears the plight of a small race of people, the Whos, floating by on a small piece of dust and who is then distracted by the need to incubate a friend's egg as she is too fond of the high life to do it herself, is totally engaging.

Sat in front of us were three lively little boys of around five years old who found it difficult to sit still in the interval, a real barrel of monkeys, but they sat spellbound throughout the show. Need I say more?

by Wendy Fidoe