LAYTON Williams is incredible – simple as that.

His portrayal of drag queen Angel in Rent had the audience holding its breath on opening night at Lighthouse.

Hurling himself around the stage in ridiculously high platform boots, he leapt into the splits, cartwheeled around the stage and pulled off back flips and some of the highest kicks ever witnessed on a south coast stage.

Despite the energetic moves, his voice remained strong and powerful throughout the show, in Poole this week as part of its 20th anniversary tour.

The entire cast means business with some stunning performances in what is a relatively small venue for such a high-calibre show.

Rent tells the story of a year in the life of a group of artists struggling to survive in New York’s East Village.

It was written two decades ago by young and aspiring talent Jonathan Larson, who died from an aneurysm the night before his show opened.

It ran for 12 years on Broadway and was hailed as one of the greatest shows of its time.

Watching a show like this makes one wonder what else we’d be watching on Broadway and in the West End if Larson’s life hadn’t been cut short at the age of 35.

Rent was inspired by Pucchini’s classic opera, La boheme and features stunning lyrics in songs such as Seasons of Love, Take Me or Leave Me and La Vie Boheme.

Reworked for its anniversary by Bruce Guthrie, the multi-award-winning rock musical has a varied score which draws the audience into the lives of its AIDS-stricken characters, played with genuine emotion.

The bows at the end were a simple affair - no showing off involved, or needed.

But no one told the audience to behave in the same way. They were on their feet within seconds, many in floods of tears, making more noise than even they expected to.

There are seven more performances this week including matinees on Wednesday and Saturday and, for reasons beyond me, there are plenty of tickets left.

You’ll regret it if you don’t go.