It Was A Very Good Year!

Topsham School of Dance bring their annual show to the Barnfield Theatre on Saturday 23 January 2027, with two performances that day, one at 12:00 and another at 17:00. This year's production is called It Was A Very Good Year!, and it takes the form of a review of 2026, framed by a news desk with newsreaders Felicity Flash and Suzie Scoop and weathergirl Gale Force.

It's a big cast: around 135 dancers, aged from four up to eighty-plus, performing tap, ballet, modern and musical theatre style dance. The whole thing runs for 150 minutes including the interval, and there's smoke and haze used throughout. It's described as a show for families and dance fans.

There's a bit of history behind it, too. The school was founded and run for over 47 years by Sylvia Felgate (1939-2026), who opened it in May 1953 and handed over the reins in January 2001. The school puts on dance shows for its students, and the 2026 autumn term was spent preparing the routines, costumes and group rehearsals that make up this production.

Tickets are Band A £16.00 full price and £13.00 for under 18s, with a £2.95 box office fee. The Barnfield Theatre is on Barnfield Road, Exeter EX1 1SN.