Young, vibrant local talent is much to the fore in the summer season variety show Seaside Special, which celebrates 130 years of Eastbourne’s Royal Hippodrome Theatre.

The youngsters from new production company Trapdoor, children from The Rattonian Youth Group and local dance and performing arts schools provide classic musical hall numbers and songs from hit shows.

They combine smoothly with comic Alan Reed, who also shows off his skills as a singer and a ventriloquist when joined by his sidekick Arnold the orang-utan.

Producer and director Alex Adams features superbly in most of the slick song and dance routines, together with the exuberant Grant Martins and delightful Aimee Kimberley.

A comic offering of It’s A Lovely Day Today, involving Alex, Grant and Aimee, needs some fine tuning but they give outstanding performances.

Co-producer Debbie Hackett’s choreography also brings out the best in Tom Hackett, Nikki Brook, Sarah Baker and Star Bray, while Laura Sivers provides excellent renditions of It Might As Well Be Spring and Summertime.

Hotelier Darren Weir and the Royal Hippodrome Theatre management team’s fight to keep the venue alive has been boosted by the addition of Rattonians and their inspirational Adams family. You can help by seeing the show.