Kidz R Us

If you have any qualms about amateur youth theatre, or think that shows by kids should be just for kids, think again. The talents, the production values, and the sheer energy of the cast and crew make a Kidz R Us performance truly astounding for any audience. The St Ives theatre company performs such challenging musicals such as Les Misérables, Oliver, and Jesus Christ Superstar (lyricist Sir Tim Rice is the company’s patron); and the older actors also put on more grown-up productions, including the recent and rather naughty Avenue Q.

Kidz R Us productions run throughout the year, although there are some gaps in the programme so check in advance. Most of their performances take place in St Ives Theatre, the former chapel that’s been home to the company since 1994, located in the centre of St Ives and handily near a couple of car parks.

(And if the chap running the interval raffle looks familiar, that’s because Kidz’s founder, chair, and local hero Phil Barnett was one of the contestants on The People’s Strictly for Comic Relief in 2015.)