A BRIGHT future awaits 10-year-old Edward Holtom who has landed the title role in Cameron Mackintosh s new production of the smash-hit musical Oliver! Edward, a pupil of Aboyne Lodge School in St Albans, is one of three new Olivers in the production and w

A BRIGHT future awaits 10-year-old Edward Holtom who has landed the title role in Cameron Mackintosh's new production of the smash-hit musical Oliver!

Edward, a pupil of Aboyne Lodge School in St Albans, is one of three new Olivers in the production and will be performing initially from December 17 until the end of March 2010.

He started in the show in the workhouse gang as part of a team of boys who appeared in the opening number, Food Glorious Food, and is ecstatic to now be one of the leads in the show.

Edward is represented by Herts-based Top Talent Agency which forms part of local stage school Top Hat which Edward has attended since he was four. He has also attended another local stage school, Best Theatre Arts.

Warren Bacci, principal of Top Hat and director of the Top Talent Agency, said: "We are all so happy for Edward. We always knew he had natural raw talent and an amazing singing voice when he was at Top Hat. I am sure that this will be just the beginning of an amazing career and I cannot wait to come and see his opening night."

Oliver! is playing at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane and stars Omid Djalili as Fagin and Jodie Prenger as Nancy. Griff Rhys Jones takes over as Fagin on December 14.