Junior members of Ilkley Amateur Operatic Society have been turned into grubby pox-ridden street urchins, thanks to make-up and special effects students at Bradford College.

The young performers, aged six to 15, are playing orphans on the streets of medieval Paris in the northern premiere of The Hunchback Of Notre Dame.

The Bradford students have been creating a face and bump for Mark Allan, who’s playing Quasimodo. A team of students will be working at the King’s Hall, Ilkley, during the show‘s run, transforming the cast with boils, warts, scabs and scars.

Mark is no stranger to Ilkley audiences. He has played the baddie in the Upstagers’ annual panto for the past seven years and appeared as Fagin at the Alhambra in the company’s production of Oliver! last year. He worked professionally, performing in musicals and pantos, and spent two years with a cruise ship show team. Mark runs drama and singing workshops at Upstagers and is happy to be performing alongside his students.

“It’s a real challenge to play such a well-known character,” he says. “People have a preconceived idea about Quasimodo and I want to add touches of my own. I want the audience to support him rather than see him as a victim.

“The show has some great rousing numbers and some tender, intimate melodies that help to tell the characters’ stories. It’s a dark story, but, like all good dramas, it’ll keep the audience on the edge of their seats with great plot twists. No-one is quite what they seem.”

Jonathan Tate is directing Hunchback, Averil Ashworth is the choreographer and Jim Lunt the musical director. The cast also includes Pip Barton as Esmerelda and Rob Durkin as Pierre.

The Hunchback Of Notre Dame runs at King’s Hall, Ilkley, from March 2 to 6. Tickets are available on (01943) 602028, at ilkleyoperatic.co.uk, or from Christchurch, The Grove, Ilkley, from 11am to 1pm.