Anyway, the point is that on board the ship this motley and highly entertaining collection of characters (the drunken stockbroker, smooth talking stow away, debutante, nightclub singer, Public Enemy No 13, English Earl and pet dog) fight for the lime light in a complete farce with mistaken identities, mismatched lovers, more one liners than a series of Fawlty Towers and much better songs and dance routines than anything in Glee.

Robbie Orr displayed real maturity and depth in his role as Billy. His comic timing was superb and his bright tenor voice soared over the audience; he was clearly relishing the experience and brought the best out of the actors around him. Zoe Coutts as the imitable Reno impressed; Anything Goes and Blow Gabriel Blow were outstanding while she bossed around the leading men with great alacrity. In particular You’re the Top with Billy and Friendship with Moon stood out.

Rory Macdonald’s violin case carrying Moon and Fraser Hill’s sword waving Sir Evelyn both understood the subtle comic nuances of the script; their songs Be like the Blue Bird and Gypsy in Me were brilliantly executed. Felicity Aslet made a very striking and believable Hope; her wistful song Goodbye, Little Dream, Goodbye was beautifully sung. Her mother Mrs Harcourt, played brilliantly by Clarissa Sutherland, was a tour de force and caused problems for the Guinness drinking Captain played by the sharp Douglas Morgan.

There were so many other good performances: Francesca Dawson as the sassy and provocative Erma who with the sailors (with mops in tow) danced and sang in the brilliantly choreographed Buddie, Beware,; Andrew Hally as Whitney (A ‘Yale Man’) who was so convincing it was as if he was born to play the role; Jamie Farndale’s authoritative Purser; Lyle Bushe’s troubled Minister; and Reno’s Angels (Katie Becher, Sarah Law, Laura Meadows and Imogen Wilkinson) who tap danced and flirted with skill and assurance.

Julian Joseph and Cameron Linnell made a real impression, while Annie Cornwell as a worried girlfriend of a departing sailor and Jussi Pardoe as a seen-it-all-before barman at the start helped set the tone of the show. The rest of the chorus (Matthew Nimbley, Hellie Stark, Sehar Mahmood, Lara Pedreschi, Jenny Betchley, Katie MacNaughton, Rebecca McLauchlan, Cathy Adams, Mairi Cameron, Melanie Masure) reacted to what was going on and brought smiles, dancing and vitality to the production. There were also a number of pupils in the orchestra (Aonghas Maxwell, James Hardie, Lewis Marlborough, Daniel Rowbottom, Robin Cumming, Freddie Thomson, Thomas Harmar and Chris Littleboy) who kept the tunes flowing and toes tapping.

This cast were lucky to have imaginative dancing instruction from Mrs Irving and Miss Haslett, ace vocal coaching and conducting from Dr Coad and vision, energy and commitment from the director Mr Trotter. This was a school musical to enjoy, savour and remember. I am sure the memories for the cast in this production of Anything Goes will never grow old.

JM Barrie