THE silver screen came to Bacup with an original show, featuring well-loved songs from movies over the decades.

Young members of the Scout band performed with precision after only six weeks’ of rehearsals. Favourites included Austin Powers, with Dave Burgess as the hilarious geek, the beautiful voice of Sophie Lord transported the audience Over the Rainbow, and there was a passionate and inspiring rendition of The Gael from Last of the Mohicans when Matt Pitt pounded out the beat and Julie Killick gave an incredible display on the violin.

I did not know what to expect, but was highly delighted with the show, which earned the cast rich and long-lasting applause.

I was unsure how Evita’s anthem Don’t Cry For Me Argentina could be performed on a Flugel horn by Gail Curran did so masterfully from the ‘balcony’.

Danny Boy from Brassed Off was played with the musicians sporting miners’ lamps and I enjoyed musical director Graham Helm‘s energetic Jungle Book trombone playing and conducting the whistling audience to Colonel Bogey.

The mask in Sister Act had the audience in giggles as did the rather unusual male Sister Marys!

A bit too much dry ice for my liking, but the night raised £2,000 for Bacup’s Cancer Research UK committee and the theatre restoration project. Please continue to support the theatre. CS

Review published by kind permission of Catherine Smyth - Rossendale Free Press.