Glee Mash Up, Upstage Centre Youth Theatre, 41 Monkgate, York Upstage Centre Youth Theatre aims to offer the young people of York a chance to express themselves through the arts, whether through acting, singing or dancing.

Glee Mash Up, the latest production by the volunteer-run charity, was an ambitious attempt to achieve that aim and everyone should feel it was a resounding success.

A cast of more than 30 eight to 21-year-olds brought a revue of songs and dances from TV sensation Glee. From contemporary pop to musical theatre to classic rock, the youngsters offered something for everyone to admire, not just “Gleeks”.

Musical director Sam Dunkley did not make it easy for the youthful cast, but it paid off.

The set contained a cornucopia of musical genres and technical choreography but the cast adapted well, moving swiftly between Men Without Hats’ synth-classic Safety Dance to a poignant version of John Lennon’s Imagine.

The show commenced explosively with a passionate rendition of Glee favourite Don’t Stop Believin by the whole cast, and moved with machine-gun pace through the set.

The energy and untiring enthusiasm of the cast and band, and their seamless transitions through musical styles, gave this amateur show a professional veneer, more than enough to gloss over any first-night jitters. The lively group performances saw the cast clearly enjoying themselves but it was the solos or duets that really stood out.

James Brown’s It’s A Man’s World was performed by Evie Jackson, alone on stage, with confidence and courage. Claudia Winters and Brooke Wilson were joined on stage by back up dancers during Lily Allen’s Smile. The pairing of Samantha Holmes and Faye Addy was used to great effect; combining graceful choreography with impressive vocals to give captivating interpretations of Christina Aguilera’s Beautiful and Lionel Ritchie’s Hello.

The youngest members, including Will Gibbons, who made up half of the cast’s male representation, displayed their own bravery on stage with Israel Kamakawiwo’ole’s heart-breaking version of Over The Rainbow.

The cast is too large to name them all, but special mention must go to Ebony Hiley whose solo performance of Madonna’s Like A Prayer was the highlight in a very commendable production.

It was impressive how in such an ambitious production the tunes blended so well together, with the only exception being Lady GaGa’s Bad Romance. It was a spirited and passionate tribute to the excellent work of Upstage Centre Youth Theatre.

Glee Mash Up is on at 41 Monkgate until Saturday.

Review by Jonathan Wilkes