On their toes

Hallelujah. Mary and I were invited last night to a special performance by the National Youth Ballet of Great Britain at the London Palladium. I am not a ballet person, or for that matter, an opera buff, preferring to go to the theatre. But I have to tell you, this made me proud to be British.

The children on stage ranged from the age of 8 to 18, and the performance fell into two acts; first, Wonderland, Scenes from Alice, and in the second half, The Rainbow Bear. The costumes in both were fabulous and the dancing by all the children, out of this world. I could not believe the young girl who played 'Rainbow Leader', Sophie Bassett, was only 10 years old. She had the poise and dignity of someone twice her age. 'Rainbow Bear', danced by Andrew McNicol, rightly received a standing ovation. Joanna Lumley OBE was the narrator in the second act, for which her husband, the maestro Stephen Barlow, had composed the music. The audience left the theatre in a warm, noisy buzz that you get with a hit that, in this case, is only on for one night, because the scenery for Sister Act was being moved back into place even as we left the theatre.

Joanna reminded us that there always has to be someone very special to make these things happen, and that person is the Founder and Artistic Director, Jill Tookey MBE. But she is so much more, because it is her energy, inspiration and determination that saw 100 children on stage last night. Bravo Ms Tookey. In an age when our papers are filled with scandal and failure, you and your company are a triumph. I hope one of those journalists who reads this column will go and see the work you do, and rightly remind people that we can still do things as well as anywhere else on earth. Five stars.