MYCO’s production of Guys and Dolls, performed by a cast of young singers, dancers and actors aged 12-18, is bursting to the seams with fresh talent and ability. The performance, much hyped both locally and online, surpassed all expectations and left everyone with a smile on their face.

Set in a highly stylised New York, with slick and often highly-caricatured dance moves rehearsed to perfection, this production set the bar high from the start. The cast all performed with flair and commitment, and soaring solos were complemented by rich choruses.

Ruby Crepin-Glyne, as the missionary Sarah Brown, stunned us all with her crystal voice, hitting every note perfectly. Shakur Gabbidon-Williams gave a very strong performance as Sky Masterson with his distinctive melodic voice, his subtle, well-paced delivery (I was impressed by the way he managed to squeeze so much humour from his lines through a blunt, understated delivery, never over-egging a joke) and his remarkably expressive eyebrows. Harry Hemingway-McGhee gave a very cartoony and comical interpretation of Nathan Detroit, a chronic underdog with a fourteen-year-long engagement. Amy Vicary-Smith performed Adelaide’s Lament with a rare mixture of frustration and vulnerability, her versatile voice changing to suit each song.  The Marry the Man Today duet between Sarah Brown and Adelaide was a fantastic moment in the show.

One of the musical’s indisputable stars was Arran Johnson as ‘Nicely-Nicely Johnson’, who had the audience laughing almost every time he opened his mouth and went on to stun with an impressively strong and rich, very atmospheric rendition of Sit Down, You’re Rocking the Boat.

However even those without main parts were given opportunities to impress, with lots of dancing from the chorus and a number of cameo performances from members of the company. I particularly enjoyed the dancing dice in the Crapshooter’s Ballet – an inspired idea – and the Havana sequence, which was amusing and impressive. And glittery.

The choreography was both fun and ambitious, with dances rehearsed to perfection. Throughout the cast there was not one single weak link – every performer was talented and professional, and the resulting performance was stunning – creative, amusing and perfectly paced. High notes, high kicks, very high standards. I can honestly say this is one of the best things I’ve seen in Oxford.