REVIEW: Lena - the story of a Scottish child star singer who brightened the dark days of the 1970s - deserves to be told.

People of a certain age will remember Lena Zavaroni's talent and bubbly personality that touched the hearts of the nation.

The new play at the Beacon is told through the eyes of her dad Victor sensitively played by Alan McHugh who has a wonderful on-stage chemistry with Erin Armstrong, as Lena.

Victor regrets failing to protect her, thinking he was giving her the opportunities that he and his wife Hilda, never had.

It was chilling to watch Erin re-create her Opportunity Knocks routine Mama He's Making Eyes at Me, in front of 18 million viewers, knowing that behind the scenes life would never be the same.

Lena was uprooted from the security of her family on the island to live in London with ruthless agent Dorothy Solomon, played to perfection by Helen Logan.

This was unwittingly the beginning of the end for the impressionable youngster who was put on a diet at 10 and was told what to sing, wear and how to behave.

By the age of 16 was caught in the grip of anorexia nervosa, which was little known at the time but was the only control she had over her life.

The rest is history.

The whole cast were excellent, Julie Coombe, as troubled Hilda, and Jon Culshaw as narrator Hughie Green.

But the star was undoubtedly Erin Armstrong who gave a powerhouse performance capturing Lena's innocence and wonderful voice.

In this wonderful tribute, we see what Lena could and should have been, and the final performance of Neil Sedaka's Going Nowhere had both the audience and cast in tears, followed by a standing ovation.