It’s the 1950s, it’s just before rock ‘n’ roll and it’s America where youngsters just after the war are flexing their muscles and finding a new kind of music, writes Paul Thomas.

Life Could Be a Dream at Windsor’s Theatre Royal this week is an unmissable stirring of hearts for those who gave life to how we live as youngsters today – daring to dream about what is around the corner and going for it in a major way.

With a change in how America was reacting to post-war tensions and a loosening of social pretensions as austerity dwindled and white goods and cars increasingly became the norm, these kids began to enjoy their diners, burgers and shakes which set the tone for the decade of rock ‘n’ roll.

Join Denny and the Dreamers, a fledgling 1950s doo-wop singing group preparing to enter a radio contest to realise their dreams of making it to the big time. Trouble comes in the form of Lois, who arrives to put some polish on the boys. Denny falls in love, Wally falls in line, Eugene falls apart, and along comes handsome heartthrob Skip to send the whole situation spinning.

Packed with classic hits from an unforgettable era including Why Do Fools Fall in Love, Tears on my Pillow, Runaround Sue, Earth Angel, Stay and Unchained Melody, Life Could be a Dream is a performance that will leave you laughing, singing and savouring the decade of sock hops, soda pops and drive-in movies.

If you want a great night out just dance and sing down to the ‘Royal’ for this look at the birth of rock ‘n’ roll.

Teenagers were turning off the Mantovani and the Bing Crosby tracks. Even Sinatra was struggling. There was a whiff of something new in the air as rhythm and blues, jazz and big band sort of came together with the sense of a new sound that would sweep the world that is still reverberating today.

Scott Mathers as Denny has an energy on stage most of us would dream of having, great voice, great moves, great talent...this boy’s going a long way. Ben Beard as Skip and Dinah O’Brien likewise.

This trio, along with Tom Corbishley as Eugene and James Sheppard as Wally, get into great harmonies, spark fantastically off each other and really drive the story.

This musical has real energy and pizzazz.

Life Could Be a Dream. Theatre Royal Windsor until Saturday, February 24. Box office: 01753 853888.