Through the medium of West Side Story, the talented youngsters of John Masefield High School in Ledbury managed to show, on the musical's opening night, exactly why their school is a designated arts college.

True, Bernstein's score is, at times, as meandering and tortured as ghetto life, and the singers did not hit every note or always follow the melodies precisely.

However, the ambition and scale of this school production was breathtaking, and the applause throughout was thoroughly deserved.

Laurels must go, first of all, to every member of the band for an almost faultless and a frequently heart-rending performance. Put simply, they played like professionals and the expression in particular of the violin playing of Josie Evans and Adam Willis was sublime.

Then there was the dancing to praise! The choreographers deserve a pat on the back for presenting such an animated spectacle.

The youngsters on the stage had slick moves and attitude, and the Gee, Officer Krupke sequence probably received the loudest applause. The girls with both the Jets and the Sharks all danced with an assurance that often approached the grace of a ballet.

I can think of no better Riff than Jack Hodges, who has the ability to look moody, hurt and mean all at the same time, and obviously feels very comfortable under the lights.

Jake Johnson, playing Tony, has a fine voice, an amiable stage presence and enough talent to portray a divided soul.

Serena Kinder, as Maria, was a delight, from the dancing joy of I Feel Pretty to the wounded bewilderment of the closing scene.

Keil Morris was wonderful as the complex Bernardo and tended to dominate the scenes he was in.

But to name names is unfair, because every youngster on that stage deserved to be there and they put everything they had into this production.

Gary Bills-Geddes