MORE than one or two people hot-footed it to Blackpool Grand Theatre this week in the hope that the Phantom Of The Opera performance was, in fact, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's popular version.

But when they sat down to Ken Hill's vibrant version of the famous tale, which opened on Monday night, they would not have felt disappointed, writes Sarah Sharp.

It's alternately chilling and cheeky right from the start. Phantom Michael McCarthy's call for Christine from the bowels of the theatre sends shivers down the spine, while a fully-rounded cast of characters delight with tongue-in-cheek humour and fabulous facial expressions.

A little more light-hearted than Gaston Leroux's original novel, the story line is still the same with the mutilated male desperately in love with the captivating Christine (a delightfully voiced Sarah Ryan) and terrorising all the theatre in the process. Murders ensue and dastardly plots are uncovered to a backdrop of soaring songs including How Dare She, from jealous boyfriend Raoul (Hugh Laurie lookalike Jay Marcus) and a wonderful Late Last Night I'm In The Cellars from Matt Hodgson who doubled up as the groom/priest/old man etc and could easily have given Tommy Steele a run for his money.

Patrick Clancy is marvellously camp as the luvvie actor playing Faust in the doomed production, and theatre regulars may recognise Fascinating Aida's Adele Anderson who perfectly portrays the darkly dramatic Madame Giry with more than a touch of Tim Curry's Dr Frankenfurter from the Rocky Horror.

To give away the ending would be just mean, but you can find out the Phantom's fate for yourself at the Grand until Saturday, every night at 7.30pm with a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm. For tickets from £8.50 call the box office on 290190.