SCHOOLCHILDREN, parents and staff proudly watched on as they were treated to a performance of a Shakespeare classic.

In its first stage production in four years, pupils from St Joseph's Roman Catholic High School in Horwich performed a spectacular adaptation of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

The end-of-year play, which was staged on Thursday, July 12, was put together in just eight weeks and on the night the school hall was filled with parents, carers, pupils and staff eager to see the actors work their magic.

Samantha Flanagan, staff member at the school, said: "The room felt alive as the evening of drama, dance and music filled the hall with entertainment, smiles and fun. For some pupils this was the first time they had performed on stage in front of an audience.

"The pupils and director of the production adapted the script condensing it to an hour long version.

"All props and costumes were created by backstage technical pupils with support from the art and design department.

"The audience were on the edge of their seats watching the performance this evening, as the Athenians excelled in communicating a tragic love story that ended when we saw three weddings at once.

"The Mechanicals never faltered in making the audience laugh in the way that they brought comedy throughout the performance.

"The fairies who brought the show to life with singing and dancing, they had a playful nature on stage and of course lived happily ever after."

The headteacher of St Joseph's, Tony McCabe, congratulated the cast and members of staff involved for a "fabulous performance" at the end of the show.