‘You must be mad!” How many people uttered those words when producer Maya Sprigg announced her intention of staging Billy Elliot — The Musical on five-and-a-half days of rehearsal? The show runs for two hours (plus interval), and is stuffed with songs and choreography throughout its entire length. Then there’s the little matter of finding a lad capable of playing the hugely demanding title role — for if Billy is no good, the show will be no good.

Just in case there’s anyone alive who hasn’t seen either the film or the long running West End stage show, this is the story of a County Durham miner’s son who is inspired by the dream of becoming a ballet dancer. But the 1984-5 miners’ strike is in full and violent swing, and Billy lives in a world that automatically dismisses male dancers as “poofs”.

So the show requires a class of ballet students, some tough miners (pictured), and an equally tough contingent of police. Step forward director Seamus Allen, choreographer Alice Chilver, musical director Dan Cowtan, and Stagecoach Oxford’s 60-strong cast, who performed the big company numbers like Solidarity and Expressing Yourself with precision and colourful panache. There was humorous attention to detail too — for instance, the Royal Ballet School interview panel who all had to do their pliés as they sat down and glared at Billy.

Among the solo supporting roles, George Watkins stood out as Billy’s initially antagonistic Dad, and Clementine Collett was excellent as dancing teacher Mrs Wilkinson. But all depends on the boy playing Billy, and here Stagecoach picked a real winner: Thomas Conroy (above) has stage presence, a natural sense of rhythm, and played Billy with a completely convincing mix of youthful enthusiasm, cheeky humour, and gritty determination.

To put on a production of this high standard with two months’ rehearsal would be quite something. To do it in a week is, quite simply, astounding.