Dickens' "Oliver!'' which more than 100 girls helped produce.

And drama teacher, Jackqui Riordan, said the production had brought young women from normally separate age groups together.

"It's been very social,'' she said yesterday. "The age groups range from ten to 16 and to have such a huge cast with this age range is unusual.'' "I noted that they stayed in their age groups when we started in February, but now they spread across the ages.'' Lionel Bart's musical adaptation of the Charles Dickens classic `Oliver Twist' started on Wednesday and finishes tonight after a successful run.

Although the performances have been sold out for more than a week, the school has no plans to put on additional shows as the school year is winding down -- and exam time heating up.

"I think the girls will just have to wait until the next time,'' Ms Riordan said.

It has given the students an opportunity to learn about 19th Century England, Dickens, and Victorian times in general, she said.

"And the girls have learned a lot about the musical theatre,'' Ms Riordan said. "They have seen the building of the set, production of the programme and the lighting plan and sound. They have been exposed to all aspects of musical theatre.'' With 98 student cast members -- and two male teachers -- the production called for an investment in time, energy, and money to pull it off.

"In one scene there are 65 people on the stage singing and dancing,'' she said.

The staging involved building portable additions to the regular stage. "We've got the Thieves Kitchen, Workhouse, the Tavern, Street scenes, and a Parlour,'' Ms Riordan pointed out. "Michael Mello and I designed and built them.''