When you consider the rubbish churned out on the screen, small and large, it’s surprising that so well-crafted a tale as A Belly Full didn’t make it into production.

Mary Colin Chisholm and Marcia Kash instead rewrote their script for the stage of The Mill at Sonning.

In its new form, and with a strong line-up of acting talent under the direction of Ms Kash, it proves exactly the sort of material to delight audiences at this popular dinner theatre.

Formulaic it may be, but pleasingly so, being a fusion of two popular genres with its heart ever in the right place.

There are clear elements in the story of both Calendar Girls and Stepping Out as these ladies of a certain age go through their paces at their belly-dancing class.

Soon the action segues into the ever-reliable “Hey, let’s put on a show!” format, to the usual winning effect.

Focus of interest is the ambitious cake-baker Marnie (Lesley Harcourt) and her good-sort best mate, the carer-cum-cleaner Jane (Sarah Edwardson), and their respective partners.

These are happy-go-lucky delivery man Ravi (Dharmesh Patel) and the buttoned-up agoraphobic Brian (Peter Hamilton Dyer) too frightened – and this strains credibility – to step out of the flat.

A confusion over St Agnes Church Hall and St Agatha’s leads the women in effort to a class for belly-dancing rather than the intended pilates.

But the welcome is warm, especially from teacher Shalimar (Jacqueline Roberts) whose exotic accent belies roots closer to home.

No-nonsense vicar’s wife Rose (Sabina Franklyn), home-loving mum-of-four nurse Tess (Gilly Tompkins) and sparky Caribbean teen Aleesha (Maia Watkins) boost the troupe to six. Hairdresser Willow (Alice Bell) bounces in, joie de vivre undimmed by a bout of breast cancer, to achieve Shalimar’s optimum team of seven.

This is a delightful show, preceded by a splendid dinner which appropriately includes roast belly of pork.

Till June 15. Box office: 0118 969 8000, millatsonning.com

CHRISTOPHER GRAY 4/5