It may have been Shakespeare on a spaceship to a rock ’n’ roll beat, but somehow the Alton Operatic and Dramatic Society managed to pull off Return To The Forbidden Planet.

Bob Carlton’s musical fuses Star Trek and The Tempest to 1950s and 1960s hits. Modern interpretations of Shakespeare rediscover his flair for putting on a show alongside the convoluted plots and flowery language, so the Bard may well have approved.

The play hit its stride following the departure of science officer Gloria (Sally Airey, lovely voice) and arrival of her estranged husband Prospero - Stephen Fletcher, with a Dumbledore beard - who had been stranded in space with their daughter Miranda (Sapphire Cook).

Chef Cookie (Dave Towns) sought romance with Miranda following a kiss on the cheek during Ain’t Gonna Wash For A Week. But the underdog gradually lost out to Captain Tempest (Nick Main) - all flashy black uniform, sharply shaved hair, knowing looks and a huge gun.

At first it seemed like iffy casting and an age-inappropriate relationship - then the Captain launched into Young Girl by Gary Puckett and The Union Gap and it became clear Miranda was meant to be a very much junior partner.

Sadly Cookie’s next song - She’s Not There - was overshadowed by the Captain and Miranda sharing three minutes of increasingly intimate silent flirting.

The interval followed an attack by multicoloured snakes, after which Miranda swapped her dungarees for a short black dress to make the Captain her own.

There was reconciliation between Gloria and Prospero and a reprise of Great Balls Of Fire before tinfoil robot Ariel (Finn Walters) departed on a child’s scooter. A bizarrely entertaining evening.

Return To The Forbidden Planet at the Alton Assembly Rooms continues on May 15 and 16 at 7.30pm, and May 17 at 2.30pm and 7.30pm. For tickets visit https://aods.org/tickets/