PARENTS who have had to endure a tedious evening at a school play waiting for little Johnny or Jean to make his or her fleeting appearance would have been astonished and delighted at the level of achievement and the quality of entertainment displayed by the pupils of Warminster Preparatory School in their production of The Wizard Of Oz on July 3 and 4.

The piece does, of course, provide an opportunity to exploit the exuberance and enthusiasm of children. The ensemble work was especially good and lively, but what was surprising was the degree to which the young people managed to achieve their comic effects, with a skill that often eludes adults.

The Prep School Drama Club was set up by Julie Palmer, wife of the former head, in 1980, with the purpose of extending pupils' awareness and encouraging self confidence and individuality through drama, mime, dance, improvisation and traditional theatre skills. On the evidence of this production this is a tradition that 22 years on is still succeeding brilliantly.

Leslie Rocker