Monday, 06 October 2025

Talented and fun performers provide perfect night’s entertainment

Talented and fun performers provide perfect night’s entertainment

THIS year the Henley Youth Festival has celebrated its 30th anniversary and the Variety performances certainly continued to demonstrate the array of talent we have seen over the years.

From gymnastics to interpretive dance, classical piano to musical theatre, there was a range of acts to entertain the audience.

The show was held at the Kenton Theatre on the night of Saturday, March 9.

Isabel Rigby and Beatrice Bertiolli Smith compèred the evening — both have been presenting at the Henley Youth Festival for several years. They enjoy being involved and helping at the festival and love watching all the acts too.

The show began with an explosion of Barbie pink as the Springbox Gymnastics Squad sprang across the stage in fun glittery outfits, demonstrating their agility with backflips, cartwheels and hand springs.

Tabitha Bromley (year 6) was a convincing Matilda, singing Naughty from the musical.

Her sweet red gingham school uniform contrasted fabulously with her character’s defiant foot stomping and gesticulating as she told us “sometimes you have to be a little bit naughty”.

Tabitha also sings with the Henley Youth Choir and appeared on the night with the Divas and Dudes dance group who performed a musical theatre item from Six.

Kiki Campbell and Jolie James entertained with a fabulously fun cheeky duet.

Dressed in pink silky pyjamas and sporting fluffy star-shaped pillows, the girls exuded sassy stage presence with their big smiles and expressive talent.

Ayden Yasin (year 6) and his sister Shanaya (year 5), both from Valley Road Primary School, are no strangers to the festival, having both played the piano several times at Music Makers and at the Kenton Theatre. This year, Ayden wowed with Beethoven’s Für Elise and Shanaya played Presto by Pescetti beautifully.

The siblings both say they love playing the piano and have been taking lessons for two-and-a-half years.

They say the festival is a great opportunity to perform in front of an audience and has boosted their confidence.

Ava Desmond and Grace Watts choreographed their own dance to Taylor Swift’s 22, complete with cute matching Taylor-themed outfits.

It was clear they were having fun and both were great performers, engaging the audience as they threw their hats into the crowd. Maisy Redston has been performing with StageWorks for six years and this was her second year appearing with them on the Kenton stage at the festival.

Maisy enjoys performing and showing people what she can do and says the festival has a good atmosphere.

Betty-May Cowley has been with StageWorks for 12 years and this is the fifth year she has danced at the festival. She says she loves dancing.

This brought us to the end of a fun evening at the theatre, the perfect way to enjoy a Saturday evening.

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