A CENTURY-old theatre will take a trip back to the vaudeville music hall era when staging the world's longest running musical.

The Harrogate Theatre, in Oxford Street, is hosting a revival of The Fantasticks, listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the record-breaking musical runner.

It takes centre stage from April 1 to 23.

The production is being directed by Hannah Chissick and choreographed by Nick Winston.

This homespun production will mark a return of two familiar faces to the Harrogate boards.

They are Tim Stedman, who played Muddles in the theatre's recent traditional pantomime, Mother Goose, and Sophie Bould who appeared in the dinner theatre revue, Putting It Together.

The musical tells the story of young lovers separated by their plotting fathers to ensure their children fall in love.

Ms Chissick said: "Using a vaudeville comedy pastiche, and combined with a stylistic Brothers Grimm fairy tale pop-up book, The Fantasticks revisits the bygone age of true romance and theatrical magic."

Ticket details are available on (01423) 502 116.

Published: 18/03/2005