IGS students in premiere of Pratchett production (From Ilkley Gazette)

IGS students in premiere of Pratchett production

8:30am Thursday 16th February 2012 in Features

Young stars of the future are getting ready to show their talents at the world premiere of a musical adaptation of a Terry Pratchett book.

Ilkley Grammar School students have been working hard in preparation for the three-night run later this month of The Amazing Maurice And His Educated Rodents.

Based on the Terry Pratchett book, the tale has been adapted as a musical by local writer Neil Hanson and Ilkley Grammar School head of music Keiron Anderson.

Choreographing the show is sixth-former Maddy Hatfield-Allen (pictured). Maddy has been dancing almost as long as she could walk, and at 17, already has a wealth of experience to call on.

A member of the Syncopation Dance School and Dance United Yorkshire, she has already performed at the Bradford Alhambra, the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Sadlers Wells and the Royal Festival Hall, but she has also shown a talent and a maturity well beyond her years in devising the dance routines for The Amazing Maurice.

“Choreographing such a big cast has definitely been a challenge,” said Maddy, “But I’ve been blown away by the talented people I’ve been working with, all the way from Year 7s to Year 13s. I love the music and listening to it gives me a lot of the inspiration for the movement.”

The musical, which comes to Ilkley’s Kings Hall from February 28 to March 1, has involved around a tenth of the school’s population, including more than 100 members of the cast and orchestra.

Tickets cost £7.50 (£5 concessions), available from the Grove Bookshop, Ilkley Visitor information Centre and Ilkley Grammar School, or phone (01943) 608424.