A SPECTACULAR Eastleigh version of the world-shattering story of the Titanic could be set for the bright lights of London's West End.

The Eastleigh Borough Youth theatre has been creating its own waves when the cast performed the award-winning production of the musical drama Titanic.

And top theatrical agents were in the audience when the epic story of the ill- fated Southampton liner took to the stage at The Point - the Eastleigh dance and art centre - on Thursday.

The show was a box office smash hit. And even before the curtain went up, the Eastleigh production was a huge boost with the news that the next stop could be the West End.

Youth Theatre Director Tim Ford said: "We are hoping that the play will go to London. Theatrical agents have already expressed an interest and came to see the show."

Getting West End recognition would also be big boost for Pete Hallmann, head of drama at Hedge End's Wildern School, who wrote the words and James Holmes, who teaches at Oaklands School, Southampton was responsible for the music.

The Titanic Experience won rave notices when it was staged at Wildern School about five years ago and went onto a national competition at London's South Bank.

Eastleigh Borough Youth Theatre has redeveloped the story line, added the latest state-of -the-art technology, and the youth theatre's con-nections with London theatreland lured West End agents down for the show.

Hollywood moguls took more than a year to put the story of the Titanic on the big screen. But the 81-strong Eastleigh cast had just one week to put the moving story on stage.

In a special summertime workshop they worked through their bank holiday to make sure it was all right on the night. A real team effort, it involved everyone - from painting scenery to learning lines. The Titanic set was built to the finest detail incorporating the latest technology and the producers enlisted the technical expertise of Southampton City College.

Tim said: "It has been a very emotional and poignant production to work on."

Auditions began in early July when producers were hit with a tidal wave of Titanic cast hopefuls.

More than 200 young people, aged between seven and 21, were anxious to climb aboard for such a memorable production.

Tim said: "It was sad to have to turn people away because everyone was so keen to take part."

The young producer is no stranger to the West End. Tim has worked as an actor and appeared in the hit West End musicals Jesus Christ Superstar and Joseph.

REVIEW

Titanic, Eastleigh Youth Theatre, The Point, Eastleigh.

AS the bloodcurdling screams ripped through the atmosphere we were stunned into total silence, even moved to tears.

Leonardo and Kate might not have been there, but this version of the most notorious disaster story of them all was beautifully conceived.

Forget James Cameron's hugely expensive special effects, this big group of youngsters really did convince us they were going to the bottom of the Atlantic.

Even as the curtain opened for the first time, with a quality sound-track, the agile and graceful dancing of the water nymphs, and virtually continuous video images, the attention to detail was excellent.

It was no approximation about the truth of the 1912 tragedy - packed with facts, it could quite easily be a living historical document.

Excellent singing, lavish costumes and a great set all added up to make this a stunning achievement - a spellbinding performance which fully deserved its standing ovation. David Schaffer

Converted for the new archive on 25 January 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.