VAL PENNETT reviews 'Seussical The Musical' by the Grove and Rawdon Theatre Company at Yeadon Town Hall

I knew absolutely nothing about 'Seussical'. I hadn't even heard of Dr Seuss, Cat in the Hat, the Gringe, Green Egg and Ham and I'm not a lot wiser after seeing the show!

It is such a mix of characters, all from Dr Seuss books I suppose, and interwoven into a musical.

Not knowing didn't really matter, although reading the programme in advance would have been an advantage.

There was a very good first night audience, lots of youngsters and 'teenagers which is encouraging to see. We the audience were invited by the Cat in the Hat - Master of Ceremonies - to explore with our imaginations and see what 'thinks are there'.

(Oh the thinks you can think) we know that tiny people live on specs of dust and that a person is a person no matter how small. So we start to smile and get carried along by the this inventive fantasy world.

Joe Morrow as Cat in the Hat played a superb part, one of the best I have seen from him.

Musically the show was great, plenty of catchy tunes, different styles - ragtime, rhumba, pop, blues - all played by a really excellent orchestra with the talented Catherine Sweet as MD.

The stage looked very effective, whacky and sparkling at times. Lighting and spot lighting were fabulous.

This show also calls for lots of different costumes and wigs and it must have been a difficult task for Margaret Beck and Ian Stead to put these colourful costumes together.

A star in the making is Luke Bayer as Jo-Jo. Although only very young he has apparently appeared in 'Les Miserables' in London's West End.

He has a great voice and a stage presence which is a pleasure to watch.

Tom Kyle was Horton The Elephant. He too has a great voice and there was a lovely duet 'Alone in the Universe' with Luke.

The two female 'birds' in the show were played by Rachel Leach as Gertrude of the One Feather Tail and Claire Hemming as Mayzie of the Amazing Beautiful Tail.

Both girls played excellent parts.

Peter Stebbings and Ann Garnett played Mr and Mrs Mayor, Jo-Jo's worried mum and dad.

Other minor roles were played by Brian Luty and Pat Bell.

Full company numbers were always well sung and with plenty of energy, my particular favourite being the lovely 'How Lucky You Are'.

Choreography by Rachel Thomson and Royston Bayfield was good and in keeping with the show.

The society is strong in youth and it was good to see so many exuberant 'teenagers on stage and in the audience.

The show was directed imaginatively by Royston Bayfield, a very talented young man.

The society will give 'Spend, Spend, Spend', the story of pools winner Viv Nicholson, in May 2006, and 'Singing In The Rain' in May 2007. Neither has been given at Yeadon Town Hall before.