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Friday, September 05, 2008, 06:30
Josh Fedrick, 14, was small for his age when he started playing Billy, 12, last November at the Victoria Palace Theatre.
But healthy eating and an enormous amount of dance and acrobatics training have seen him shoot up to 5ft 2ins, a little too tall to be convincing.
So far, more than 200 friends and relatives have travelled to the capital to watch Josh on stage, and now there are just a handful of performances left before he hangs up his dancing shoes on September 27.
Josh, who has been privately tutored while in London and trains and rehearses for hours every day, said: "Soon I will be back at saltash.net community school.
"I wasn't homesick while I was away, but I did miss my family and am looking forward to seeing my friends.
"I want to go to performing arts college before working again professionally."
Chocaholic Josh was not allowed chocolate while in London, but access to the account where his wages have been paid has meant he has been able to indulge his other weakness – shopping for clothes.
Josh said: "Playing Billy is exciting because you carry the whole show, and it's hard stamina-wise. There are four Billys in the show, so I perform only one or two nights a week, three at most.
"While up there, I have been able to see other shows, including Phantom of the Opera and Blood Brothers."
Josh has studied in Cornwall and Plymouth, and has been associated with companies including the Royal Ballet School, Youngstagers, the Deborah Bond Dance Academy and the Touchwood Musical Company. Locally, he has taken leading roles in Touchwood Musical Company productions 'Scrooge – the Musical' and 'Way Out West'.
His mother Liz, 41, said: "It's lovely to have Josh home for a few days.
"Both his brothers cry every time they see the show, and start the standing ovations.
"He's on stage for 99 per cent of the three-hour show, with a lot of dancing."
Now the family is looking forward to seeing Josh on the cinema screen; he has landed a small part in a short film being shot next June in Wales.
Josh will be performing on Saturdays only at the Victoria Palace Theatre between now and September 27.
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