THE original London West End production of this musical based on the Alan Bennett-scripted film A Private Function came with a star cast led by Sarah Lancashire and an animatronic pig.

This revival – a co-production between four theatres and part of West Yorkshire Playhouse’s Alan Bennett season – is what you might call the austerity version, which is fitting as the story takes place in 1947 Britain when food and luxuries were still in short supply.

There are no star names but an ensemble of talented all-rounders and the porcine star Betty the pig is a puppet with an operator plain to see.

The town council in the small town of Shepardsford is harbouring an illegal pig which is being fattened up for a civic dinner to mark the marriage of Princess Elizabeth And Prince Philip.

A bit like Cinderella, humble put-upon chiropodist Gilbert Chivers (Haydn Oakley, given a Bennett-like makeover) isn’t being invited to the ball, much to the annoyance of his social climbing wife Joyce (Amy Booth-Steel). Her answer is to steal the pig to ensure they get a slice of the action.

There are problems, not least a pig with loose bowels and cantankerous Mother Dear (Sally Mates, milking the part for all its worth) forever poking her nose into things she shouldn’t. Like everyone else she can smell something is amiss.

The songs are pleasant enough without sending you from the theatre singing them, the performances are all that’s required, the choreography lively and Daniel Buckroyd’s direction keeps things moving along nicely.

  • Until July 5. Box office 0113-2137700 and online wyp.org.uk