IF there had been room in the aisles, the audience at Saturday night's performance of Fame would have danced and sung along with the 192 stage-struck young performers who are turning the 10th Swindon Youth Project into a triumph.

Anyone who has yet to realise how much young talent exists in this town should have bought a ticket. Unfortunately they are now too late. Every performance, except for Thursday's matinee, is deservedly sold out.

It is a sizzling musical, based on the film and successful TV series.

The problem of getting that many kids onto the Wyvern's comparatively small stage was brilliantly solved by director and choreographer Pollyann Tanner . She and musical director Steve Hill deserved every hand-clap and cheer they received at the end of the show.

But nobody merited the roof-raising applause from the capacity audience more than Jill Hayward, who played Serena with a pure clear voice that deserves medals. Or Janine Pardo, who gave a real belter of a performance as the ill-fated Carmen. Or Deji Odunlami, the break-dancing Tyrone from the Bronx, who has a chip on his shoulder the size of a log.

Melissa Wicks as Mabel, the ice cream addict who decides to give up dancing and become a character actress proved she is precisely that and also has a smashing voice.

I could go on . . .

Can the 11th Summer Youth Project top this one? Who knows? It is a pity we now have to wait another 50 weeks in order to find out.

By SHIRLEY MATHIAS