WITH some of the audience resplendent in period costume, we were treated to a traditional music hall evening of entertainment including songs, monologues, duets, sketches and a mind reading act extraordinaire, all watched over by a portrait depicting an unamused Queen Victoria.

Many items were familiar, some were less so but all were thoroughly engaging.

I loved the highly unusual cat duet - it was purrfect.

Essential for the success of a music hall evening is a humorously pompous, verbose chairman and Minstead had Frank Abbott; he savoured both his task and his solo, The Spaniard that Blighted my Life.

What a pity more people could not participate in a thoroughly amusing evening including the beloved singalongs.

Words were clearly presented in the programme and the audience loved it all. Music hall is so enjoyable, rewarding for cast and audience alike. There is comfort in knowing it is alive and well; it has been in safe hands in Minstead.