High School Musical, Pier Theatre, Bournemouth

THE "house full" signs were up for the Saturday show (one of three on the day) we went to see - and small wonder.

Based on the very popular Disney film, this is an updated version of Grease, set in an American school where the Jocks and Brainiacs jostle for supremacy and the drama class, staging Juliet and Romeo, a feminist version of Shakespeare's classic, is caught in the middle as it competes for the services of basketball star Troy (Luke Beavis) and girl genius Gabriella Montez (Samantha Laurilla).

While the youngsters were cheering on squeaky-clean Troy and Gabriella, I reckon a lot of the parents had a soft spot for brother and sister drama club stalwarts Sharpay and Ryan Evans (the excellent Georgina Luff and hilarious Dale Waterworth).

It was that kind of show, where even the (not-so) baddies were kinda cute, and the incredibly catchy songs and lively dance numbers just kept rolling along, making the two hours (which can seem an eternity with excited little 'uns in tow) simply whizz by.

Congratulations, though, should go to all 31 cast members and everyone at Bournemouth and Christchurch-based Theatre 2000. This show was a cracker.