Review ! Carrie By Smile Musical Youth Theatre 2026

I felt truly privileged to be invited along to review Carrie, performed by Smile Musical Youth Theatre at The Dormston Mill Theatre — and what a privilege it was. This was, without a doubt, one of the best productions I have seen from Smile, and possibly one of the most impressive theatre performances I have seen.

Before the show began, warnings were announced over the speakers advising the audience that the production contained themes including blood, bullying and strong language. This was certainly a very different production from the same talented company I watched perform Seussical just four weeks ago!

What makes this achievement even more remarkable is that the cast brought the entire show together with just two weeks of rehearsals. Two weeks! Watching the finished production, you would never have guessed it.

As a huge fan of horror and with Carrie being such a classic of the genre, I was particularly interested to see how the story would translate to the stage as a musical. The answer? Absolutely brilliantly.

A huge congratulations must go to Molly Bastable, who took on the challenging role of Carrie White. Molly delivered an outstanding performance, combining an incredible singing voice with impressive acting skills. She captured Carrie's vulnerability beautifully and made the audience genuinely feel for her character.

Thea Lowe, as Margaret White, Carrie's mother, was equally outstanding. Her powerful vocals were exceptional, while her portrayal of Margaret could be genuinely chilling at times. The chemistry between Molly and Thea was fantastic, and you could see just how much they had invested in their characters. Their performances together were some of the strongest moments of the evening.

Charisma Louise gave an amazing performance as Sue Snell, alongside Sam Broomhall-Tighe as Tommy Ross. Both showcased fantastic vocal ability and strong performances throughout.

Then there was Nancy Minaker as one of Carrie's biggest bullies, Chris Hargensen, alongside Thomas Bastable as her prom date Billy Nolan. Both brought tremendous talent and energy to the stage — and certainly did their part in ensuring Carrie would have a prom night she would never forget!

Casey Micheala, as Miss Gardner, and Taylor Simner, as Mr Stevens, also delivered brilliant performances as the teachers who provide Carrie with support and someone to turn to. Both demonstrated excellent acting and impressive vocals.

And it wasn't just the principal performers who deserve recognition. Every single cast member contributed to what was a thoroughly impressive production. The choreography was brilliant, with the cast working together with precision and confidence. The dancing was energetic, well-timed and added another fantastic layer to the show.

A huge well done must also go to everyone behind the scenes, particularly those responsible for the effects, makeup and costumes. These elements helped create the atmosphere and brought this dark story to life on stage.

For a young cast to tackle a show as challenging as Carrie is impressive enough. To do it after only two weeks of rehearsals is something else entirely.

And then came the curtain call.

There was a real sense that something special had happened. As the cast took their final bows, emotions clearly took over, with members of the cast and audience becoming visibly overwhelmed. There were tears, huge smiles and an enormous amount of pride in the room. It almost felt as though the cast of Carrie had cast one final spell over everyone in the theatre — leaving their mark long after the final note had been sung.

This was an outstanding performance from everyone involved. From the cast on stage to the choreography, creative and backstage teams working behind the scenes, every person played their part in creating something incredibly special.

To bring Carrie to the stage in just two weeks and produce a performance of this quality is a phenomenal achievement.

A massive congratulations to every member of Smile Musical Youth Theatre. 

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

An unforgettable performance that proved that sometimes the most powerful magic on stage is simply the talent, passion and dedication of the people standing on it.

Smile Musical Youth Theatre's next productions 

Everybody's Talking About Jamie  29th & 30th January 2027

Tickets available at www.seaty.co.uk/smilejamie

Footloose The Musical 30th & 31st July 2027

Tickets available at www.seaty.co.uk/smilefootloose