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A criticism that could never be levelled at Derby Theatre is that it is predictable and boring. Next year we have the Classic Macbeth,  tonight we had Kiss me Quickstep a contemporaneous tilt at dramatizing the modern media interest in ballroom dancing.

Even better it is in the hands of prolific local playwright and literary polymath Nottingham’s  Amanda Whittington. Her plays tend to focus on a female perspective and there is  plenty  for her to have a go at here with sequins galore, fabulous frocks, fixed smiles, fake tan and the backstage bitching of competitive ballroom dancing.  The wardrobe department  will rarely have been busier.

Three couples take centre stage in a production  sharply directed by Theresa Heskin which has the razzle dazzle to the fore.

The cast feature Russian  Luka Kralj, who has come from Russia to compete in the championships, and his partner Nancy Knight, in training since she was three,  aided and abetted by her rich dad, Mick,  who is determined to bankroll her dreams.

 Jodie and Justin Atherton overcome a car breakdown to stagger in. Lee Hart and Samantha Shaw,  sashay and swagger  as favourites for the title.

There is little to fault the acting in Theresa Heskins’s production. Hannah Edwards is engaging as Nancy, especially when she sticks to her principles. There is tension towards the end when she clashes with her win-at-all-costs dad, played with vigour and credibility by Jack Lord. Isaac Stanmore gives an impressive portrayal of Luka whose focus on perfection is matched by his persuasive  Russian accent.

Abigail Moore and Matt Crosby are arresting as Jodie and Justin, the couple whose motives for taking part in the competition change more times than Jodie swaps her costume. They are probably the finest dancers too, admirably strutting their stuff in both the ballroom and Latin sections.

Amy Barnes is captivating as Samantha, the envied dancer who has appeared twice on the cover of Dancing Times but who swigs vodka as she struggles to find her real self. Ed White shines as Lee who feels his drive and ambition are far more important than Samantha’s self-doubt. As he says, “competitive dancing is not about confidence. It’s the illusion of confidence. And you can create that.”

When members of a community ensemble from the Academy for Theatre Arts take to the floor, there are 11 couples displaying their talents at one time. The dance routines are little short of extraordinary. There’s a winsome waltz, a tingling tango, a sizzling samba and a pulsating paso doble.

The dance routines are dazzling, the script stitches it all together, no-one puts a foot wrong.