Message received

Newbury YoungStars: A Load of Rubbish, at Arlington Arts, from Thursday, July 23 to Saturday, July 25

For three evenings in a row, the youth section of Newbury Operatic Society delivered a one-hour performance on behalf of the environment. It should be compulsory viewing for all adults.

With a witty script by Sue Gordon and a very good live accompaniment, the YoungStars delivered their message: RECYCLE, SAVE ENERGY!

The curtains opened on a colourful rubbish dump set with live rubbish. The star of the show was The Newspaper, looking uncannily like the Newbury Weekly News and played by George Stacey, who sang and moved like a professional with his special song When you're Black and White and Read all over. Corny it may be, but it was delivered with such enthusiasm. The brilliant wardrobe designer gave him pages with colour photos and "a mine of useless information".

Barnaby Omar also deserves a special mention as The Carrier Bag, for his clarity of diction and good voice. After a zany opening number by the keyboard, string bass and drums, The Carrier Bag and his colourful group of 'rejects' bemoaned their fate in Once upon a time on what once had been a picnic site.

To a tune from Carmen, three glass bottles begged Please don't throw any glass away. We were getting the message.

For light relief, along came badly-behaved Beer Can to sing I'm Party kind of Guy with the chorus doing a great recycled hand jive.

The plot was slim: the John Rankin School were to save the day by picking up the rubbish and recycling.

Humour saved the show from being downright preachy, with prompts to clap and say 'ooh'. The audience willingly joined in the clapping to It's Never too Late to be an Eco-Warrior - even yours truly and guest.

There was enthusiastic applause at the end. An hour's worth was enough, but we'll stop throwing away a good carrier bag or bottle, and might even think twice before using the tumble dryer on a sunny day.

EILEEN CASTER