UP-AND-COMING Bridgwater talent is sharpening its claws to take on one of the most demanding shows in musical theatre next month.

ACTS’ teenage performers are staging CATS, the Andrew Lloyd Webber spectacular of T.S. Elliott’s whimsical poetry, at the Town Hall from Wednesday to Saturday, June 18-21.

Theatre company founder Alan King said: “The youngsters have been working extensively since last September.

“It’s such a huge challenge from a choreography point of view, when it comes to portraying the cats, because from the moment they come on stage, they have got to have that physicality.

“And every cat is different. Very rarely do two cats look the same, which is a mammoth task for make-up to reproduce, because it’s got to be the same each night.”

The “opera-come-dancing” (as Alan describes it) features some of the best-known songs in the genre, including the heart-wrenching ‘Memory’, sung by the grizzled Grizabella. Choreography comes from Katie Williams.

Performances are 7pm on the Wednesday, at 7.30pm on the Thursday and Friday, and 6.30pm on the Saturday.

Tickets cost £12 for adults, £10 for children and concessions by calling the Town Hall box office on 01278-455138.