A MUSICAL adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's classic novel The Hobbit is set to hit the stage at The Forum early next month.

A cast of around 50 youngsters will feature in this latest production from Furness Youth Theatre, coming to the Barrow venue for three nights, from Thursday May 4 to Saturday 6.

Bilbo Baggins, the eponymous hobbit played by Angel Young, is drawn by Gandalf the wizard (Rhodri Silcocks) into a quest to reclaim the wealth and former dominion of Thorin Oakenshield (Zac Miller) and his dwarves, which has been stolen by Smaug the dragon.

Thrust from the bourgeois comfort of his hobbit hole home in the Shire, Bilbo encounters a very different world of trolls, elves, goblins, a weird subterranean creature called Gollum, and discovers a magic ring capable of making its wearer invisible.

Based on the 1937 novel, this adaptation of The Hobbit was first produced in 1991, with this latest version being adapted by Furness Youth Theatre's Liz Loveless, with musical direction from Leah Graves.

The cast - all aged between five and 17 - have been in rehearsal since last autumn, when open auditions were held.

The show will run at 7pm each night, and tickets are available from The Forum box office.