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A Show with a Heart and Exciting Talent.
For those who say there is nothing for the young in Launceston they should have been in the Town Hall on the evenings of the 8th to 10th January. Launceston Amateur Dramatic Society (LADS) proved that there is wealth of talent and to be congratulated on staging the performance of the play Our Day Out by Willy Russell and features a group of underprivileged schoolchildren being taken out for a day in which they visit the beach, café, zoo, Conway castle and the fair.
The show was presented as a musical play with members of the Youth Theatre Group, Starting Stars performing alongside the Adults members. The play is a plea for understanding, asking society to take time out and look at the square pegs that don’t readily fit into the education system. The exploits of Mrs Kay (Liz Eagle) pupils, ironically call the Progress Class when she realises these troubled kids need some fresh air away from their usual environment. The production starts with a trip by bus to Wales fromLiverpool. The military mistrust of the kids by Mr Briggs (Alan Burgis) and the interplay with other teachers Colin (Doug Vanstone) and Susan (Lucy Addicott) and the bus drive Les (Brian Donague), Shopkeeper (Anita Crayton) and Zoo Keeper (Adam Bolton) bring out the good and the bad of the kids.
When the troubled Carol (Zoe Prosser) goes missing, and captivates the audience with her song and plea to stop in the country, Mr Briggs turn out to kind and sympathetic and treats the class to the fair.
There were many memorable songs, sketches from members of the Youth Group Linda (Sally Bouncily) and Jackie (Jade Baxter) who are in love with Les and the bored girls (Amy Maunder, Sarah Chetta) finally realise they had a great day out, the boys Brian (Zack Toogood), Digger (Nick May) and their friend Andrews (Laura Whale) always seem to be in trouble.
A stage with a minimal set using milk crates for the bus, castle, shop and zoo was used to great effect and under the direction of Alan Pollard the message was: these young kids from an underprivileged area have something to offer society…and each other. Very exciting, new talent and show with a heart.
 Top row: Doug Vanstone, Adam Bolton,
Brian Donague,
Lucy Addicott, Alan Burgis, Zack Toogood, Anita Crayton.
Middle row: Alan Pollard, Jake Matthews, Lara Thomas-Nell, Sally Bounsall, Zoe Prosser, Jade Baxter, Laura Whale, Tess Hardy.
Bottom row:Sarah Chetta, Laura Dymond, Lucy Coy, Liz Eagle, Lara Ware, Alex Land, Amy Maunder.
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