AN AMATEUR theatre group is performing their newest production to a sold-out crowd this week.

Abbey Musical Society have sold out all show dates to their Phantom of the Opera production being held at The Forum in Barrow.

The show, which started on Monday (March 11), sees a group of 50 theatre aficionados ranging from 11 to 84-years-old performing on the stage.

This is the group's first production of the year and will run until Saturday (March 16).

The haunting love story will see iconic songs such as Music of the Night and All I Ask of You being performed by the cast.

When asked about performing to a sold-out crowd, Nick Collinge, the chairman and producer of the society, said it was a 'nice feeling'.

He said: "A sold-out week is a very rare thing - it rarely ever happens - it is just a really nice thing to see.

"In the last five years we have sold out a couple of shows but a sell-out is a rare thing." 

The chairman explained the group started preparing for the show in September 2023 and practised twice a week. 

He said preparing for it was a 'very enjoyable experience' but also 'challenging'.

He said: "Every show is challenging when you have a show with a budget of £40,000 and you have got to put all the pieces together - but we get there in the end.

"The feedback has been really good - everyone has been absolutely loving it. A lot of people say that is the best thing they have seen."

Their next production is Rock of Ages which is set to take place in July this year and the practising sessions will happen right after the Phantom of Opera finishes on Monday (March 18).

Abbey Musical Society was formed in 1949 and their first production was The Mikado. Since then the group has done productions such as Cats, Titanic, The Sound of Music and The Little Shop of Horrors.