REHEARSALS are underway for the forthcoming production of Bugsy Malone, opening at the Palace Theatre on Thursday August 8 and running until Sunday August 11.

It is being put on by the Palace Theatre Summer Youth Project, an initiative which has been running for 12 years, and sees the cast and crew of talented young people and crew take two weeks of intensive rehearsal and work, to put on a professional show.

A tribute to the gangster films of the 1920’s and featuring a catchy, swinging score, Bugsy Malone is a masterclass in musical comedy.

A spokesman for the Summer Youth Project said: "The cast this year features Monty Irving aged xxxx from Westcliff and Eve Glenister aged xxxx from xxxx, taking on lead roles as Bugsy and Blousey. The cast also features an ensemble of over 60 young people.

"Bugsy Malone was the title of our very first Summer Youth Project, so revisiting the classical musical twelve years later is rather special for our director, Marc Mollica. Marc is a SYP veteran who has been director for the project since the beginning."

The Summer Youth Project is open to anyone aged nine to 19 and offers young people the opportunity to work with a professional creative team or even work with the technical team on the production.

The two week project culminates in six performances at the Palace Theatre.

Participants get to learn about theatre, make new friends, have fun and perform a stunning production in a professional theatre environment.

The Summer Youth Project promises to be "an unforgettable evening of theatre and a showcase of the incredibly talented young people in our area".

Past participants have gone on to work professionally in the West End and in television.

Tickets are now on sale at southendtheatres.org.uk