The performance of Penny Dreadful by Green Stag Youth Theatre as part of the Chippenham Drama Fest ’13 was a real treat.

The piece comprised three parts and told three different stories, all set in the murky underbelly of Victorian London – a richly atmospheric world convincingly created.

First came the eerie, fairy-tale-esque story of the clockwork prostitute.

The disjointed storyline was disconcerting, but effectively portrayed a young girl lost in the bewildering city of London.

The sensual ending movement sequence was beautifully poignant; those two performers are obviously dancers.

The performers needed to account for the bigger space with their vocal projection – although this criticism could not be made of Emily Smith as Miss Isla, whose Cockney screech could probably be heard from Town Bridge!

Second came an opium-hazed tale of jealousy and debauchery set in the Tivoli music hall, where the authentic Victorian dialogue really came into play, especially in the songs, which were clever and funny.

The opium-fuelled dreams were enticingly creepy and, for me, the highlight of the piece. Emily Smith and Johanna Regan as the nauseating music hall duo earned most praise from the audience after the show.

Finally the grotesque spectacle of Davy the fat boy, set in a freak show, held the audience between disbelief and delight, dreading what was to come yet willing the story to its gruesome climax.

The flair of this piece is in its originality, resonant storytelling and the rich world, created through research and dramatic exploration.

This young company have more to offer the Edinburgh scene with this devised piece than ‘just another school play’, and they should be proud to do so.