THEY’VE been perfecting their cockney accents with gusto and next week, young actors from Mark bring West End sparkle to Burnham’s Princess Theatre with much-loved musical Me & My Girl.

The 38 eight to 18-year-olds of Mark Youth Theatre stage the show from Thursday to Saturday (March 27-29) with curtain-up at 7.30pm, plus a 2.30pm Saturday matinee.

Clare Banwell, MYT director of 14 years, shared her motivation behind picking the Noel Gay, Douglas Furber and L. Arthur Rose musical with the Weekly News.

“When I was 21, Me & My Girl was the first show I ever saw in the West End.

“The rights have just lifted for amateur players, as it’s no longer at the West End, and remembering how funny it is I thought it would nice for a community, particularly for adults, to have the chance to see it.”

Given the fine balance of plot, choreography, song, and accents, pulling the production together is no mean feat but all the hard work is going to pay off.

“The children have really got to grips with it. We’ve done cockney workshops and ‘posh’ accent workshops, and they’ve been learning the Lambeth Walk.”

As for the lead parts? “Ben Hutton, 17, as Bill Snibson, has a huge role, with a hell of a lot to say, and he’s worked really hard on it.” Year 9 pupil Isha Jackson-Voyzey as his girl, Sally Smith, meanwhile, has “an amazing singing voice”.

Tickets cost £7 for adults, £5 for concessions and £20 for families (two adults, three concessions) on 01278-784264 or visit www.princesstheatreandartscentre.co.uk