I was looking forward in anticipation to this show and at the opening night, I was not disappointed as this was a superb performance with its brilliant singing, great acting and absolutely fabulous choreography.

West Side Story is, I suppose, the first of what one would class as the modern musicals. It opened on Broadway in 1957 and ran for a total of 732 performances. It came just after the Rogers and Hammerstein musicals had been performed but before the Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber musicals of the late 60s and early 70s.

Indeed, the latter two have said that West Side Story was one of the early influences on their writing.

Set in 1950s New York West Side Story is based on Shakespeare’s tragic love story, Romeo and Juliet. It is the story of a feud between deprived youngsters of New York’s West Side (The Jets) and a number of young Puerto Rican immigrants (The Sharks). In this production there were several outstanding performances from the principals. The best, without doubt, was Australian Daniel Koek, playing the role of Tony. He has an absolutely brilliant tenor voice and produced one of the best renditions of Maria that I have heard in a long time. He was also outstanding in the duets Tonight and One Hand, One Heart where Sophia Escobar, who played Maria, joined him.

Again this young woman, who has a beautiful soprano voice, put in an excellent performance, particularly in the number I Feel Pretty at the start of the second half.

Riff was played by Howard Jones. As well as his excellent singing in When You’re A Jet and Cool, he was also superb as far as the choreography was concerned. Bernardo, the leader of the Sharks, is played by Dan Burton, who does not have any solo numbers but who nevertheless turned in a great acting and choreographic performance.

The final principal is Jayde Westaby in the role of Anita. A great voice, particularly well heard in the numbers A Boy Like That and I Have A Love where she dueted with Sophia.

The choreography throughout was absolutely brilliant and tribute must be paid to Joey McKneely who not only produced the show but was choreographer as well. The young dancers regularly filled the vast stage in a blur of co-ordinated movement that can only be described as absolutely spectacular! Likewise, tribute must be paid to Donald Chan, the musical director. He brought out the best from both principals and chorus and again this was faultless throughout. He was well supported by his 20-piece orchestra.

The Grand was full on the opening night and I am sure that everybody will have left truly mesmerised by this outstanding performance.