Prince Edward visits Kingston as curtain comes down on 2013 International Youth Arts Festival

The royal and the rest of the audience were captivated by the musical tale of a convict mistaken by a group of northern 1950s children for the second coming of Christ.

There are still more IYAF shows to go over the weekend but the National Youth Music Theatre performance hit every note and joke.

Top moments in the show included the puzzled children asking the stranger, who had a hint of the Cumberbatch about him but was starting to betray his un-Christ-like origins: "I didn't know you smoked" "Well....I didn't used to but I do sometimes."

Another moment juxtaposed bored parents watching their bored children in a boring nativity play as songs gave away their feelings.

The eighth in line to the throne, who is a patron of IYAF, took time to meet cast members afterwards on stage on Thursday.

Fellow IYAF patron Chike Okonwo, known for starring in New Tricks, said: "I'm from Kingston and just wish there was something like this when I was a kid. I've seen so many wonderful things and it has had a direct influence on my life as an actor."

Rose Theatre chief executive Robert O'Dowd said his favourite show was The Bridge but said: "What I've really enjoyed is walking around the theatre and seeing all these international companies kids milling around and chatting and that is what is about."

Favourite IYAF moments

Ann Hutchinson: Bits and Box "It really was amazing. We booked them for another show."

Phil Hetherington: Cell "It is a very nice piece. It's very moving and about motor neurone disease but it is lovely. It made my daughter cry."

Photographer Oliver Pusey, 15, from Worcester Park: The Great British Network: "It is all about the British railways an how they have been privatised. It's just quite interesting."

Anna Cunningham, from Surbiton: I Shanghai : "It was a company of drama students from the university of Shanghai about life in Shanghai based around a group of people coming to work. It was extraordinary in terms of props and a wonderful use of sounds. There was a very stony-faced doctor who pulls a face mask out of her pocket and opens it up with a snap. It spoke far more than words the coldness and isolation of her life."

Karen Elcock, from Reading: Erroneous at Kingston College: "It was a really powerful story brings into focus the problems of Alzheimers but its very clever and you don't know until the end of the play that's what its about."

Bob Phillips, Surbiton: Persephone "It is very ambitious as its a circus school rather than a circus. A lot of people are just learning. What they did on stage was very ambitious for a school and they executed it brilliantly. There were all sorts of body types. It wasnt just athletes."

Brett Alderton: Cell : "Its just a truly beautiful piece and captures people."

Sophie Wardlow, Kingston: Bits and Box: "You think two men and a box. What are they going to do? It was great."

James Rooza, Kingston: Bits and Box: "It was just fun and not too serious."

Katherine Woodbine: Eva: "It was fantastic and not what I expected at all. It is the surprises of the festival that really make me excited."

Jarek Zaba: Pinnochio: "A really novel show in terms of production techniques. Dub step music and giant puppets."

What was your highlight of IYAF? Leave your comments below or email newsdesk@surreycomet.co.uk