Talented Young 'Uns team get ready for the big charity show

* Young 'Uns stars get hard at work in rehearsals for Llangollen on Show for Turkey and Syria. 

Eleven of a junior stage group’s most talented young stars are busy in rehearsals for a glittering charity variety concert in Llangollen next week.

And polishing their comedy routines for the big show alongside  members of the Young ‘Uns - the junior section of Llangollen Operatic Society - are some of the top performers from the Llangollen Twenty Club who have enjoyed hit after hit with their own shows over the past few years.

Also honing their parts for Llangollen on Show for Turkey and Syria, which aims to raise money to support survivors of the earthquake that decimated parts of the two countries and which takes the stage at Llangollen Town Hall on Thursday and Friday May 11 and 12, are stars of the Collen Players who specialise in recreating the dazzling days of old time music hall.

Apart from being one of Llangollen’s biggest-ever fundraisers the concert will make history as the first time three of the town’s performing arts groups have joined forces.

Like all members of the formidable cast, the talented team from the Young ‘Uns, aged from nine to 18, have spent many weeks rehearsing hard for their contribution to the two-act show.

Alongside members of the senior Operatic Society they will belt out such rousing sing-along show numbers as Oom Pa Pa from Oliver and Flash Bang Wallop What a Picture from Half a Sixpence.

Pamela Williams, who has produced some of the Young ‘Uns’ biggest stage hits of recent years such as Little Shop of Horrors and The Addams Family, said: “Just like the rest of the cast, these 11 very talented young people have been working incredibly hard on their part in Llangollen on Show.

“The songs they and the Operatic members will be performing are among the most rousing and memorable ever to come out of big West End musicals and should have our audiences – which hopefully will be large ones – singing and toe-tapping along with them.

“I know all the young people were desperate to be involved in this show because it’s for such a fantastic cause. The earthquakes may have been some months ago but the survivors in both countries are still in desperate need of help and we hope as many people as possible will support us by coming along to one of the two shows.”

The Llangollen Twenty Club drama group will present a series of comedy sketches – some specially written for the occasion – inspired by their hilarious past hits and acted out by some of their favourite performers.

One of the sketches, entitled Three Queens and specially written for the show by Ian Wright, is a nod the coronation that will have taken place the previous weekend.

The Collen Players will provide a taste of the rip-roaring Victorian music hall shows for which they have rapidly become famous, with their founder, Lee Taylor, acting as chairman for the show which starts each night at 7.30pm. 

All proceeds will go to support the Disaster Emergency Committee in which 15 of the UK’s top charities have come together to supply a lifeline to thousands of survivors of the earthquake which devastated southern and central Turkey and northern and western Syria in February.

There will be a bar and prize raffle on both nights and a number of local businesses have pledged their financial support through sponsorships.

* Tickets, priced at £12 (no concessions) are available online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/llangollenoperaticsociety or from Courtyard Books, Llangollen, and the Llangollen Oggie Shop in Caste Street or on the door on the night. Tickets are going fast so organisers advise on booking promptly.