THE inner sanctum of StAmbrose College descended into blood letting fury as the young actors shed their masks for a powerful production of the 20th century classic Lord of the Flies.

Heralded as the Hale Barn's Catholic grammar school's most dazzling production ever, two full houses of more than 600 theatre goers were amazed by the sheer ingenuity of the theatrical wizardry that blazed away with both the latest and most traditional of stage effects.

Images of dead pigs heads shone across an ever moving backdrop, while a giant medieval Japanese style puppet descended from the skies to loom over the proceedings.

However, it was the cast who were the stars, delving into their own murky depths to produce some astonishing performances from such seemingly young minds.

At the centre of the ever unwinding tragedy was Piggy played by the mercurial James Mackenzie, who went from the innocent target of the group's prejudice to an almost mythic figure whose closing words of wisdom resonated with an eerie truth.

At his side was the fine upstanding Ralph played by Sean Gallagher Gill, the sort of boy every mum and every dad would be proud to call son, who remained as a fixed point for reason and charity on an island descending into madness.

His counterpoint the psychotic Jack played with an evil smirk by the charismatic Daniel Peach who left the audience at once thrilled but then again disgusted by his growing thirst for ultimate control.

There were some comedic moments with the versatile Jamie Munn as the comic release Maurice and Joseph Speake as Henry, the rabble rouser both able to improvise on stage as the madness became altogether too real, only part choreographed to achieve a greater depth of realism.

St. Ambrose College head of drama, Mair Bull, said: “It was an all consuming production from casting to final curtain call and I would like to thank all those young men both on stage and behind the scenes who gave us such memorable entertainment. We hope it left the audience with food for thought.”

Simon Carter