Dozens of youngsters were given a taste of performing when they learned, rehearsed and performed a musical in just five days.

They were taking part in a summer workshop at the Wiltshire Music Centre run by Felicity Courage.

A group of 37 would-be performers, aged between five and 11, arrived at the centre on Monday morning completely unaware of what they would be doing.

“They had no idea what they would be doing,” said Mrs Courage. “I found a musical called Zoom, which is based on the fable of the Hare and the Tortoise, online. I thought it would be suitable for a group of that size.

“It meant they had to learn about 50 pages of dialogue, seven songs and seven dances, it was a tall order.”

Each child had at least two lines to learn but some of the main characters had up to 100.

“They had quite a bit of homework but they were all very dedicated,” said Mrs Courage.

She and her two helpers had to beg, steal and borrow costumes for the performance on the Friday.

“I managed to get some animal costumes and there was a good deal of improvisation with coats being stuffed up the back of kagouls for the tortoise,” she said.

The children spent four days working six hours a day for the show, which ran for almost an hour-and-a-half.

“It was supposed to be an hour but we milked the applause a bit,” said Mrs Courage, who also runs performing arts clubs at the centre and in Corsham.

The show went almost without a hitch. “Some of the costumes were a bit large and we had a few arms and legs coming unrolled and people tripping up but it was fine,” she said.

She said the workshop had given the youngsters an insight into performing. “They learnt some important lessons about the discipline of learning lines and how everyone has an important part to play,” she said.

“We had 10 little ones who were five or six and they did really well to concentrate for so long.”

The centre is running a two-day workshop to create another show on August 19 and 20. Call (01225) 860110 for details.