TWO years ago, a bunch of North-East state school kids went to see some Shakespeare plays. There they heard words that had a magic unimagined.

For not only did those Stockton teenagers form their own company, Arden Theatre, but last year staged Julius Caesar at The Arc to critical acclaim.

That they did so on their own - really, truly without any adult help - was impressive; that they did it well, amazing.

But, believe me, this year's production is better. It is so good that it is hard to convince fellow adults that a theatre company largely made up of 16 to 18-year-olds have done this so well.

The first thing to say is that they actually make a Shakespeare comedy funny. All right, a big part of the nearly full audience was clearly made up of family members - one lady was (quite rightly) bursting with pride so much she started clapping alone. But you could tell the laughs were genuine. Jokes were even made about the actors' youth. "I can't play a woman," says one actor, "I've a beard," pause, "coming!"

The stage choreography, including fast moving moments of dancing, fighting and prancing, were excellent. The costumes, especially the famous ass's head of the play, looked great and a long way from a typical amateur production. The acting was good and it would be hard and unfair to pick anyone out except, perhaps, Daniel Hill, who played Bottom. Robert Icke, director and sixth former, who was the first to acknowledge the Herculean efforts of his friends who also had to find the money to stage the play, should be congratulated.

See this play and see the magic.

* Until Saturday. Tickets (01642) 525199.

Published: 22/10/2004