WITH less than four weeks to go until their curtain call, Swindon Gang Show producer Jane Harvey is preparing her youthful cast for their moment in the spotlight.

The variety show is produced and created by members of the Scout Association and Girlguiding UK in Swindon for audiences across three nights at the Wyvern Theatre.

The amateur extravaganza is now in its 26th year, with Jane leading on her sixth show, which is produced every 18 months.

After more than a quarter of a century treading the boards in the town centre, Jane said the passion is still there to provide Swindon’s Cubs, Scouts, Explorers, Brownies, Guides and Rangers with the chance to perform in front of a large audience.

“I love it. It’s a real challenge to get it going and to be able to see how those children gain in confidence during the weeks,” she said.

“It’s rewarding to see the work they put in and what they get out of it.

“There are a lot of the youngsters, who don’t get the chance to perform on stage.

“Maybe they’ve got other things to commit to which limits their chances for working on the stage, but we get the youngsters going on that stage and we give them that rare chance to perform for an audience.”

Jane, who is also the assistant district commissioner of Swindon North District Scouts, said this year’s show, entitled Let Me Entertain You, will again feature a number of musical pieces alongside sketches.

With a cast of 74 making up the core rehearsal group, which has been coming together for more than 10 weeks, Jane has concerns over dwindling numbers.

In its prime in the 1980s, Swindon Gang Show would boast more than 200 young performers.

“The numbers are down this year. There are just so many things that weren’t around 20 years ago,” she said.

“Families didn’t have the same commitments as they do now. There weren’t so many split families back then either.

“Quite often now, you will have children spending the week with one parent and then the weekend with the other.

"There are so many aspects of life which have changed that make it hard to put the commitment in required for 16 weeks of rehearsal.”

Tickets for November 26, 27 and 28 at 7.30pm each night are available now from the Wyvern at a cost of £12 for adults and £8 for concessions.

The show is scheduled to run from 7.30pm to 9.45pm each evening.