FRANCES Hodgson Burnett is best known for the enchanting children's story The Secret Garden.

Stagecoach Youth Theatre York opens its eyelids to a new year of theatre with another of her enduring tales of deprivation turned to ultimate happiness on a journey of discovery.

Set in Edwardian times, A Little Princess traces the fortunes and misfortunes of little Sara Crewe, and her adventurous journey from riches in India to rags and rats and back again under the heartless care of Miss Minchin at her Seminary for the Education of Girls of Gentlemen in the 1890s.

This full-length musical version was written by Stagecoach by artistic director John Cooper seven years ago, and in the seven-year cycle of life, two of the original cast members, Annie Ormond (who played Becky) and Kate Moores, are now making their directorial debut.

Annie, at present in her gap year with an upcoming American five-month trip, is to study psychology at university from this autumn, when A-level student Kate plans to start an English Lit degree.

Psychology, a good grasp of Eng Lit and years of diverse and challenging grounding in theatre from Cooper all come into play in this impressively mature and rounded production - video technology and all - from the young York company.

Only the unfortunate positioning of a bar across the front of Sara's bedroom - blocking the view of heads when girls were seated on the bed - needed remedying and presumably it was there as a health and safety measure.

Annie and Kate have worked "hand in glove" for four months on this show, beginning rehearsals in September, and the ensemble choreography in particular is testament to their application and imagination.

The dance numbers are vivid, expressive and bursting with life, a form of liberation from the austere regime of the severe Miss Minchin (a suitably stern-faced Freya Grummitt, as dark of mood as her clothes).

The production is double-cast for most of its principal roles, with Amy Warnock, ten, playing little princess Sara last night and at tomorrow's matinee, and Lucy Chivers, 12, taking the lead tonight and tomorrow evening. Amy captured the plight of the resourceful, bright Sara, full of resilience and refusing to buckle when a victim of ill treatment, and her scenes with the even more impressive Olivia Sexton (as scullery girl Becky) were the highlight of a show brimful of good performances and joyful dancing and singing.

A Little Princess is a not-so-little gem of a show.

Updated: 12:48 Friday, January 10, 2003