Top marks for Scarborough's Stephen Joseph Theatre Young Company in Education Education Education

The campaign song was D:Ream’s Things Can Only Get Better and Blair’s promise of priorities was – Education Education Education.

His mantra and vision drives Wardobe Ensemble’s Education Education Education so adroitly delivered by the Stephen Joseph Theatre’s Young Company.

It is the second play performed by the young actors’ troupe – and was again directed with brio by Rob Salmon

The material is broad, relevant and funny as well as political and angry. The performances brimmed with confidence and belief.

The play opens in a ‘failing’ comprehensive school somewhere in England on the day Labour celebrated its 179-seat majority. The teachers are ecstatic and the students are out of control. Everyone is failing and starved of finance, thus was the nature of 1980s and 90s state education.

The 10-strong ensemble, in some cases literally, threw themselves into the in-yer-face, visceral piece, which veered from laugh-out-loud to snorts of derision.

Fresh from Scarborough Sixth Form’s Les Miserables were Keane Liley, who played Valjean, and William Ireland, Javert. Here, Liley was a stand-out as the beer-drinking, macho and child-like PE teacher. He showed a light touch in a comic role. It was brilliantly observed.

Ireland, too, proved his versatility as a visiting German edcuationalist and an unruly pupil.

Katy Brearley was excellent as the angry head of discipline and Tom Dawes as the liberal head of year matched her exchange for exchange.

Hannah Curtis was the personification of the idealistic teacher Sue and Kieran Keighley was perfect as the predatory, lazy, seen-it-all Paul.

Matthew Davies – so good last year – was again brilliant in the dual roles of the steadfast teacher Tom and the loveable youngster Arthur.

Annie Dunbar was superb as Sarah and Blue Maynard made a belligerent school receptionist.

Driving the piece was Robyn Chambers – an angry, disruptive, intelligent student – cleverer enough to be anything she wanted to be and stultified by an education system that served nobody well.

Her energy was electric as she sulked and stormed round the set. She was as unfilled as Blair’s promise.

Despite Blair’s promises things only got worse.

Education Education Education is on at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, from now until Saturday March 15, daily at 7.30pm plus a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm.

Tickets: call the box office on (01723) 370541, or visit the theatre’s website: www.sjt.uk.com