ELEVEN acts from across the south are now just one dance step, musical note or magic trick away from treading the boards at Southampton’s Mayflower Theatre as finalists in Wessex Heartbeat’s Wessex Factor competition.

The acts, which were selected at regional heats across will take part in the final at Barton Peveril College, Eastleigh, on January 13 for a spot on the bill of Wessex Heartbeat’s annual Variety Show.

The heats saw singers, dancers, musicians, magicians and performers of all styles and ages showcase their talents in a bid to impress some of the best in the business.

Among the heat winners are Bournemouth-based street dance studio Beats, with their medley of retro hip-hop and modern funk routines by a troupe of 30 dancers aged 6 to 16.

And Salisbury-based performing arts school, Starcast, has an impressive three acts in the final showdown. The Poppies, an all-girl singing group paying tribute to the music of World War Two, Starcast Dance, an authentic street dance crew and Triple Threat, an acting, singing and dancing medley featuring music from Billy Elliot and The Greatest Showman.

The final will be judged by a panel of experts including Michael Ockwell from Mayflower Theatre, who will be looking for that perfect act to compliment the show’s glittering line-up on February 10.

He said: “We were delighted to see such a high level of talent in our regional heats, which makes for an exciting final. The rest of the cast is already hard at work and we can’t wait to see which local talent steps up on the night to take their place on this impressive bill.

“Mayflower Theatre hosts top-class performers and supports up-and-coming performers too, so we can’t wait to see them sharing the bill in what promises to be a dazzling show with a message of hope through the lifesaving work of Wessex Heartbeat.”

The Wessex Heartbeat Variety Show will feature Kerry Ellis from Wicked in London’s West End, ventriloquist Gareth Oliver from Britain’s Got Talent as well as other professional performers, local schools, colleges, choirs and dance academies in a cast of 250.

For tickets, which cost just £19.50 visit www.mayflower.org.uk