This family musical, freely adapted from the story by Hans Christian Andersen, may give the superficial impression of being just another festive show.

After all there’s snow on the stage, Christmas trees, gifts and plenty of laughter and song but you soon realise that the tale that is unfolding before you is delivering a heady mix of emotions and some very tough home truths indeed.

Not least that life can be monstrously unfair.

Using a combination of young local talent and professional actors, director/producer Sasha Paul revisits and reworks this oft-told tale, dealing with some challenging subjects while retaining high standarda of entertainment and even humour.

Focusing on the world of a young match-seller, it tells of urban life stricken by child-exploitation, violence, crime, prostitution and binge-drinking.

A society rife with inequality, hypocrisy and prejudice.

Sounds distressingly familiar doesn’t it? Terrifyingly Andersen’s story was set more than 150 years ago.

Emily Williams, a sixth former at Parkstone Grammar School, is brilliant in the title role.

Twynham schoolboy Jake Howlett steals more than a few scenes as Arthur her irrepressible street urchin friend.

While the adults in the cast - Leigh Haywood, Jessica Lovelock, Tara Dominick, Julia Savill, Peter John Cooper, Frank Holden, Dani Bright, Josie Langdon, Mark Kelly and Adrian Horne - are excellent.

The show runs until Saturday, January 29.