WHAT a Yorkshire show Billy! is. The musical spin on Billy Liar has a story by Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall; music by York-born John Barry; and the setting is Stradhoughton, West Yorkshire, Leeds.

Billy!, with its bonus of a script by Ian Le Frenais and Dick Clement, forms the autumn production by Malton and Norton Amateur Operatic Society next week.

The Walter Mitty of the West Riding, Billy Fisher is off in dreamland again. The date is March 19 1960, and Billy is at home with his Mum, Dad and Gran in an ordinary semi. To young Billy, his home life is a bad Yorkshire joke, and the dimmer his surroundings, the more fantastic his daydreams. Billy Fisher: movie director! Flying ace! Rock'n'roll singer! President! Dream on, Billy, as he sings "Some Of Us Belong To The Stars".

Neither his family, nor his undertaker employers in his truly dead-end job at Shadrock and Duxbury, take kindly to his fantasies. Nor do his girlfriends: Barbara, an orange-eating home-maker; Rita, a tarty bottle-blonde with a mouth the size of Yorkshire; and Liz, his real love, who gives him the chance to escape.

Billy will be played by tip-for-the-top Scott Garnham; Sandy Nicholson, Allen Hall and Joyce Coupland are cast as Mum, Dad and Gran respectively; and Andrew Foxton is Billy's best mate, Arthur Crabtree.

Rob King and Mark Bray play the despairing Shadrock and Duxbury; Marie-Louise Scott is Liz; Alicia Roberts, Barbara; Emma Cliff, Rita; and Martin Lettin, Stamp.

Billy! runs at the Milton Rooms, Malton, from October 1 to 6 with 7.30pm performances, Tuesday to Saturday, and 2.30pm matinees, Saturday and Sunday. Tickets: £6, concessions £5; available from Jack In A Box, Newgate, Malton, tel 01653 693497.

Updated: 09:16 Friday, September 27, 2002