THIS was a historic production in every way at York Theatre Royal.

Three years in the making, Monday night's performance by 170 children aged seven to 19 was the summation of an education project between the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Theatre Royal and seven York schools under the RSC's Learning and Performance Network scheme.

It was also the very last show to be mounted on the Theatre Royal's raked stage before the auditorium undergoes its major facelift over the next eight months, and how fitting that the performers of tomorrow should be paving the way for the theatre of tomorrow.

They did so in three of Shakespeare's History Plays or, more precisely, RSC writer Chris White's series of ten-minute scenes from Henry IV Parts 1 and 2 and Henry V.

In other words, a night heavy with Hals, Harrys, Harry Hotspurs and Henrys in T-shirts and one constantly present crown as young Prince Harry progressed from errant days of youth in taverns to victory at Agincourt as the newly crowned Henry V.

The RSC project, rolled out annually to five regional theatres, a hub school and a cluster of junior schools, aims to boost both the teaching of Shakespeare and learning about his plays from a younger age.

Nothing helps the latter more than performing the Bard's texts and it was a joy to see such committed performances from all the schools involved, mentored by the Theatre Royal's education associate, Julian Ollive.

Each school's vignette was directed by a member of staff and, beyond the dress code, the ensemble pieces benefited from the individual interpretations. Emphasis was on clear delivery of dialogue and group choreography, be it for battle scenes or political confrontations, with plenty of physical expression full of humour or threat.

Schools ranged from hub school York High School to Applefields School, the York special needs school, and the pick of the performances was by St Barnabas CE Primary under the imaginative direction of Brenda Elliott.

This show truly was the crowning glory before the theatre's redevelopment.