WHEN it comes to an arranged marriage between brooding Bronte and the bling of Bollywood, there are signs that Tamasha’s efforts are close to hitting the Wuther-lode.

Ex-EastEnder Deepak Verma’s inspiration of switching the brusqueness of the Yorkshire Moors for the sandstorms and heated passions of Indian’s Rajasthan desert adds the essential Asian dimension to this well-worn love story.

Thus fiery Heathcliff becomes Krishan (Pushpinder Chani) and headstrong Cathy is Shakuntala (Youkti Patel), locked in a lifetime of impossible love.

But what of the ambitions of this becoming a full-blown Bollywood musical, with a film version already being discussed? Surely you need songs with as much instant appeal as Kate Bush’s Wuthering Heights, not to mention the unromantic element of comedy characters?

Verma and director Kristine Landon-Smith cleverly turn to the lip-synched music and lyrics of Felix Cross and Sheema Mukherjee, which bravely attempts the leap between traditional regional sounds and contemporary composition.

Most of the laughter is produced by bickering servants Ayah (Rina Fatania) and Yusuf (Adeel Akhtar), although even a glossary of Hindi words at the back of the book/programme fails to help with some sharp, clearly-funny exchanges, which even shoot over the heads of the native language speakers in the audience.

Verma cheekily throws in a homage to My Fair Lady with The Camel Races song matching the eye-catching Ascot scene, complete with infamous four-letter word.

Major complaints are that the lengthy first half is clearly in need of a trim, with actors taking ages to make an entrance for no apparent reason, and Chani’s portrayal of Krishan lurches towards Captain Hook in need of a chiropractor.

Using a series of ramps is clever, but not always easy to negotiate for a hard-working 11-strong cast, varying in terms of age, size and colourful dress.

This heart-warming project may not have reached the heights in all areas, but Wednesday’s opening night was a lot nearer Barcelona than Manchester.

■ Runs until Saturday.

Tickets: £5.50-£18.50. Box Office: 0191-230-5151