Eleven-year-old Eastbourne schoolgirl Olivia Sorrell-Fleet steals the limelight in the Christmas Variety Show at the Royal Hippodrome with her wonderfully petulant rendition of Naughty.

Olivia and other young singer-dancers underline how much local talent is developing under director Sarah Dormady in the Hippodrome in-house community company's third Christmas production.

Sarah's theme of 'snow' for the first half, and 'Santa' for the second, results in a slow start. In contrast, Act Two's opening number Santa Claus is Comin' to Town is full of vitality and lifts the tempo.

Vivacious Tanya Grace, Melodie Gibson, Megan O'Hara, Tyler Chambers and Josh Beaney-Ford give outstanding performances, ably supported by Luke and Solly Adlam, Summer Giles, Oliver Menzies, Amy Wakeling and Laura West. The youngsters also milk the laughs with If I Were Not In Christmas Town.

Comedy double act veterans Cliff Bendall and Clem Jackson have great personalities, charm and stage presence – but, alas, badly out-of-date material!

Giancarlo Olivera provides an excellent speciality act by juggling with clubs while riding a monocycle.

And members of the cast, which includes Carys Clarke, Sian Clarke, Megan Hume, Ellie Mizen and Millie Walker, demonstrate their versatility by doing sketches, dancing with ribbons and giving an illuminated light show.

Three Stars