I came to 'meet those dancing feet' and was wowed from the opening number when most of the vast cast of 50 youngsters were on stage, tapping.

Choreographer Andrea Green had devised moves to enable even the untrained to join in the concerted numbers and to use the dance-trained for more complex work.

With effort, dedication from participants and adult guidance from director Martin Patrick and musical director Michael Burbidge, KHW put their annual musicals together in a concentrated two weeks. Leading roles were mostly taken by the 18 year olds, many of whom had been involved in KHW for years and who had reached the upper age limit. One of the exceptions to this was Niamh Caines, 14, who competently became Maggie Jones, one of the writers of Pretty Lady, the show within the show. As her co-writer Bert Barry, Sheridan Smith used his considerable show experience to make his mark.

42nd Street epitomises the oft-used but ever popular tale of unknown talent becoming a star. Peggy Sawyer is the unknown and Leila Suleyman certainly showed how Peggy could sing and dance and deserved her break into stardom. Leila came up through the KHW ranks from age five and, now 18, says she will really miss her annual musical. Billy Lawlor is the first to spot Peggy's talent and 18 year old Will Karani's strong Billy took centre stage with the ease of being involved with KHW since he was six.

Rampaging through Pretty Lady as its director Julian Marsh, Adam Farrell also bids farewell to KHW after many impressive performances - this one amongst them.

Pretty Lady's dance director Andy brought Justin Thomas-Verweij into the limelight and the cast were lucky to have him 'out front' to lead their steps - he was a joy to watch. Funding Pretty Lady is Abner Dillon so that his amour, the aging Dorothy, can inappropriately star in it. James Fitzsimmonds created an Abner slightly at sea in showbiz and Samantha Moore enacted her bitchy demands, contrasting them well with Dorothy's final softening as, with a broken ankle, she hands her role to a reluctant Peggy Sawyer. Alexander Gordon took the brick bats and tantrums in his stride as Mac the stage manager, Mark Stanford was Oscar the on-stage pianist and the team of Pretty Lady's lead dancers danced, acted and sang delightfully.

Backed by small cameo roles and a large chorus, the production showcased some impressive talent, great songs and dances and a plethora of apt costumes from KHW's founder and wardrobe mistress Sally Dallosso. The 'rainbow' created by the colour of the ball gowns in Dames was inspired.

The cast's biogs in the programme attain to the enjoyment KHW gives and thanks the adults who make it happen, to whom I doff my hat, but at the end of it all the shows are always of professional standard and give as much pleasure to the audience as to the lucky participants.

Not quite their swansong - the boys from KHW star in The History Boys at The Barn Theatre September 16 - 19.

Theo Spring

5 stars