YORK Light Youth will recall the days when running away to join the circus was a common daydream in next month's production of Barnum at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York.

"For many people, the dream of leaving the 9-5 and the daily commute behind and living a life filled with daring stunts in front of passionate crowds does not turn into a reality," says YLY's Hilary Dyson. "However, for those members of York Light Youth taking part in Barnum, they get the chance to sample the life of circus performers themselves.

"Meanwhile the star of the show, Phineas Taylor Barnum, gets to act out this dream of joining the circus for real. Audiences join him on his journey of discovery, witnessing not only his development as a character, but the many jaw-dropping stunts he performs as part of his new life."

The show traces the career of America's greatest showman, P T Barnum, alias The Prince of Humbug, from 1835 to 1881, the year he joined with James A Bailey to form "The Greatest Show on Earth".

Despite the objections of his wife Chairy, Barnum attempts to create a show wherein the main attractions are the freaks of society: the oldest woman alive, Joice Heth, and the smallest man in the world, Tom Thumb. Barnum builds his American Museum and falls for the charms of the glamorous Swedish opera singer, Jenny Lind, but eventually he seeks to appease Chairy by agreeing to give up the show to start a normal life, lived in black and white rather than the colour he craves.

In the end, however, Barnum returns to the circus business in grand fashion by forming the aforementioned partnership with James A Bailey: the start of a circus tradition that lasted until May this year when the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus at Nassau Coliseum, in Uniondale, New York, closed down in the very month York Light Youth began their rehearsals.

York Press:

Balancing act: Rory Mulvihill, who played P T Barnum 18 years ago, instructs York Light Youth's Finn East on tightrope skills

Barnum provides its cast with the opportunity to learn tricks and skills associated with an evening under the big top, from juggling and magic tricks to gymnastics and acrobatics. "It speaks for the talent available to York Light Youth that our young performers can learn to perform such tricks during a short rehearsal period, as well as learning their lines, songs and dance routines," says Hilary.

Pivotal to the whole extravaganza, the character of Barnum will be played by Finn East in his debut lead role for York Light Youth after stepping in at short notice to star as Joe Vegas in Stage Experience's summer show, Fame: The Musical, at the Grand Opera House.

"Out of the hundreds of theatre pieces, musicals and stage performances I have seen or taken part in, not once have I come across a character who dominates, owns and commands an entire show like Barnum does," says Finn. "Barnum has taken my character-playing ability to a new level. The sheer amount of energy he exerts throughout the show must at least equal that required to run a marathon."

One such technique he must learn is to walk a tightrope: a daunting feat to master in such a short space of time. Rory Mulvihill, who played Barnum 18 years ago for York Light Opera, remembers how nerve-wracking that task was and has been on hand to give Finn the benefit of his experience.

"I was lucky enough to complete all 13 of my performances at York Theatre Royal in 1999 without coming off the tightrope, and can still recall the feeling of elation and release as I got across on the final night," says Rory. "It's a daunting and pressurised role, but one which is more than correspondingly rewarding to any actor who has the courage to take it on."

Best known for the songs There's A Sucker Born Ev'ry Minute, One Brick At A Time; The Colors Of My Life, Black And White and Come Follow The Band, Barnum will run at the JoRo on November 3, 4 and 8 to 11, with evening performances at 7.30pm and Saturday matinees at 2.30pm. Box office: 01904 501935 or at josephrowntreetheatre.co.uk