GUESTS at Beechfield House Hotel near Melksham could be forgiven for thinking they had stepped back in time on Sunday.

But in reality they were seeing the Trowbridge Amateur Operatic Society in 1930s dress, staging a photo call for their latest production Anything Goes.

The Victorian luxury hotel at Beanacre was chosen because of its splendour the closest thing in landlocked Wiltshire to a luxury liner.

Joan Francis, vice chairman of the operatic society, said: "We wanted somewhere grand and Beechfield was the ideal choice.

"Its grand room settings and splendid patio areas just lent themselves to pictures."

The musical, with lyrics by Cole Porter, is the story of passengers sailing from New York to England aboard the luxury liner, the SS America.

Millionaire business tycoon Elisha Whitney is happily rubbing shoulders with society beauty Hope Harcourt, her widowed mother Evangeline, and Hope's husband to be, the wealthy English aristocrat Lord Evelyn Oakfield.

Add to this a notorious evangelist turned nightclub singer Reno Sweeney and her four showgirl angels saving sinners twice a night and a hapless gangster Moonface Martin with his sexy sidekick Erma and, well, anything goes...

The production, directed by Colin Lindzey, will be staged at the Arc Theatre, Trowbridge from May 19 to May 24.

Tickets are available from Trowbridge Tourist Infor-mation Centre on (01225) 777054 or from the Arc box office on (01225) 756376.