Dalriada's Footloose - they didn't put a foot wrong!

With all the glitz and glamour that a Premiere should have, Dalriada captured the essence of this wonderfully lively and modern musical. Based on the 1984 film, this musical tells the story of a grieving town, healed by a passion for dancing.

As always, the music was provided by a more than capable orchestra of pupils and students led by Mrs Montgomery whose passion for the musical evidently enthused the cast and musicians. It was wonderful to see such a young orchestra perform so professionally and support the cast.

The set was a clever construction of levels that was used in a variety of ways to create a wide range of locations. The versatility of the set allowed the cast to become involved in managing the set and therefore maintain the fast pace that the musical craved. The lighting reinforced the electric atmosphere and from the very beginning was exciting and invigorating in its style and mood.

I feel that I can not give enough credit to Hannah Todd (Ariel Moore) who assisted in the choreography and was able to encapsulate the mood of the music in energetic and dynamic dances.

Mrs Kane's creative and interpretive direction gave life to this musical that allowed the whole cast to give solid performances. The motivation and enthusiasm for the performance was infectious and as an audience we were captivated from the beginning. The show was both fun and thought-provoking and allowed a strong cast to give a spirited and passionate performance.

Cormac McCarney captured the deep and sensitive character of Ren McCormack using great vocal quality and interaction with his audience. The onstage chemistry between himself and his leading lady Hannah Todd (Ariel Moore) was both moving and enthralling to watch. Hannah clearly has a natural talent for performing and her liveliness and stage presence brought an energy to the performance that was infectious.

The comedy of the evening was brought in the form of Richard Lee (Willard Hewitt) who clearly revelled in the role. His comic timing and enthusiasm were hilarious and I especially enjoyed his solo, "Mama says…" The round of applause at the end reflected the audience's enjoyment of this wonderfully funny song – and just when we thought it was over, he "thought of one more thing."

The "bad boys" did not come without their own input to the comedy and David Swanson gave a sound performance as Chuck Cranston. The comedy of the performance was juxtaposed with the sombre and emotional Rev Moore (Chad Ballintine) and his ever-loving wife Vi Moore (Kathryn McFall) These two students beautifully captured the tragedy that gave this musical the depth that kept the audience involved in this wonderful theatrical experience.

Finally, I have to congratulate Dalriada on this fantastic achievement. Staging a school musical of this standard and quality reflects how the staff and students value the opportunity to display their talents and abilities to perform. Overall, this was an invigorating and engaging performance and if someone had dared to start dancing in the isles I would have been right behind them!