It’s not surprising that the classic Cole Porter musical Anything Goes is firmly back on the menu in this Titanic anniversary year — the storyline features the passengers on a transatlantic crossing, and there’s even a mention of icebergs in the script. Following in the footsteps of the Musical Youth Company of Oxford a couple of weeks ago, Chipping Norton Amateur Operatic Society also decided to set sail on the SS America as it plies its way from New York to London.

CHAOS (to use the company’s own, much cherished, acronym) began its production with the ship’s band playing on deck as the passengers embarked — the musicians remained on stage throughout the show, providing lively, Dixieland-style support under the direction of Alena Saroka. As the passengers circulate, a dodgy bishop encounters a fake pastor — alias Moonface Martin, who is, he proudly tells everyone on board, “the 13th most wanted man in America”. Blustering, seedy, and as thick as two short planks, Moonface received a terrific performance from Martin Hannant.

Also high in the comedy stakes was Gary Baker’s Billy Crocker, a master of the quick costume change as he adopted successive disguises, and exhibiting a quick wit as he pursued his dream of marrying the aristocratic Miss Hope Harcourt (Debbie Radley). Along the way, Baker overcame a couple of technical glitches with truly professional aplomb.

Also plainly having a ball was Keith Murphy as dimwit British aristocrat Sir Evelyn Oakley, who tilts his topper at the definitely available nightclub singer Reno (Barbara Ingham).

The well-drilled CHAOS chorus got Chippy Theatre’s roof rattling as it despatched numbers like Blow, Gabriel, Blow, and the title number Anything Goes. Ensemble was good, too, in Fiona Bates and Deirdre Bayley’s well-designed choreography. There were one or two intonation problems in the solo vocal numbers, but this scarcely mattered in a production (director Pat Lake) that vibrated with extrovert good humour.