A hush falls. Lights dim. In walk girls in smocks and bonnets. Within minutes, the air is rent with loud screams. My heart sinks. I wasn’t sure what to expect from Kings School Worcester’s ‘Witches Can’t be Burned’ production but I fear several hours of intense seventeenth-century entertainment.

But then lead Anuka, played superbly by Bella Crompton, abruptly halts the performance. The relief! It’s a play within a play and the action starts up again in a present-day setting and what passes next is a riotous few hours filled with wit, youthful energy and heaps of laugh-out-loud moments.

The story centres around a group of schoolchildren rehearsing The Crucible for a prestigious competition. The school is awash with tradition and teachers want to impress with a classic – but Anuka has a better idea.

The scenes between the two main characters – Bella Crompton (Anuka) and Max Barclay (Sam) were a highlight, proving themselves talented performers as they explored themes of friendship, loyalty and betrayal.

A confident Lucas Field (Mr Thrower) conveyed with real gravitas the stern headteacher who tries to thwart the students’ plans. While word-perfect Sam Perkins (Mr Briggs) and Samantha Capell (Miss Alexi) played the adults with aplomb.

The supporting performers in the ‘girls’ and ‘boys’ camps were excellent. And I felt all the cast struck a fantastic balance between revelling in the humour of the play and sensitively exploring some challenging feminist themes. There was also an energetic performance by Joe Taylor-Edwards (Bo) and a memorable nearly-fight scene.

And Tigo Marskell (Al) shone with spot-on comic timing. Among his gems ‘This school (St Paul’s) is so old some of the teachers actually met Jesus’ was delivered with a twinkle in the eye. It wasn’t lost on anyone that Kings too has had a home here for a very long time.

Above all, congratulations must go to this cast and crew for so adeptly putting on a play exploring concepts as old as time with a fresh, modern and joyous presentation. (And for no screaming.)