A PORTISHEAD schoolgirl is hoping for a career on the stage after a taste of the limelight.

Eight-year-old Hermione Smith, a pupil at St Peter’s Primary School, got a taste for treading the boards after making her stage debut appearance in the musical Oliver at the Bristol Hippodrome earlier this year.

Her mum Helen said: “We heard about the auditions and Hermione said she’d like to give it a go, so we went to the Hippodrome and I waited around from 10am until 6pm while Hermione took part in the trials.

“There were several stages of dancing and singing and after every stage she came running out to me saying ‘I’m though to the next round’, then she would run back for more.”

Hermione starred as one of the workhouse children and sang and danced in the infamous Food Glorious Food, with her bowl of gruel, as well as Who Will Buy and Consider Yourself.

Helen added: “Hermione surprised us at how well she learnt the song and dance routines and coped with the hard rehearsal schedule.

“She enjoyed the show tremendously, she’s a little star and we are very proud of her. She is now very keen to go to more auditions.”

There were two Portishead schoolchildren in the show. High Down Junior School pupil Isaac Lewis also earned himself a part in the show, singing and dancing alongside Neil Morrissey who starred as Fagan.