THERE was barely a spare seat in the house as families gathered to see Hexham Amateur Stage Society’s version of the classic fairy tale, Cinderella, on Saturday.

The matinee performance at the Queen’s Hall in Hexham marked the end of a seven-day run for the society, who chose the musical version by Rodgers and Hammerstein, complete with three acts comprising 14 scenes.

It was an ambitious choice for the cast, who were directed by Liz Gray and supported by a first-class, seven-piece orchestra.

The show began with a fast-paced opening scene, with townsfolk in a frenzy after hearing that the King (Steve Mobbs) and Queen (Wynne Potts) would be throwing a ball in honour of their son, the Prince, in the hope that he might find a wife.

The announcement came from the Herald, played by Michael Skoyles, who gave a confident performance and was able to show off his vocal ability in the opening number.

The catchy chorus fromThe Prince is Giving a Ball was the song which stayed with me post-performance and set a standard which was only surpassed by the leading lady herself.

The casting of Selina Mankin as Cinderella was perfect.

Her stage presence, singing voice and interpretation of the meek and mild daydreamer could not be faulted and she soon became the glue that held the show together.

As the action continued, the audience were introduced to her step-mother (Mari Stewart) and step-sisters Joy (Hayley Olson) and Portia (Jannette Griffin), who, as a convincing trio, provided just the right amount of laugh out loud moments.

However, Cinderella’s lonely life of servitude soon became clear and was communicated beautifully in the song In My Own Little Corner.

It was the arrival of her kindly Godmother, played by Beryl Amos, that marked the beginning of my favourite on-stage partnership of the afternoon.

The duet involving Cinders and the Godmother, called Impossible, was a heartwarming highlight.

Beryl’s portrayal of the magical Godmother, coupled with a clever use of costume and special effects, left youngsters wide-eyed as a golden carriage appeared from beyond the smoke.

The crew, led by stage manager Ian Cave, deserve a special mention for pulling that one off.

And so, hauled by the most balletic white horses I have ever seen, Cinderella arrived at the ball.

Here, some very clever choreography by Liz Gray and Elva Mason transformed a packed stage into a believable busy ballroom.

No one put a foot wrong as the whole cast performed the gavotte, a traditional French dance, while the relationship between Cinders and her Prince, played by Kenny Toal, began to blossom.

I must admit I had a little difficulty persuading my Disney-mad, five-year-old daughter, who was my companion for the afternoon, that this Prince was called Christopher.

But she was quickly hooked back in again as the clock struck midnight and Cinderella fled, leaving her glass slipper behind.

Then came the happy ever after ending we can all be sure of with this familiar and much-loved story.

This was my first experience of a HASS production, and while I left with admiration for the professionalism on show there were definitely some actors and actresses who took on their roles with more conviction than others.

Weaker solo singing was also a let down, here and there, but overall the performance was entertaining and provided a memorable afternoon out.

The months of rehearsals and commitment by the entire cast was clear to see and should be applauded.