Everyone knows a little of Oklahoma.

There’s that impossible-not-to-join-in song of the same title for starters.

And then the famous numbers can be ticked off: Oh What a Beautiful Feelin’, People Will Say We’re In Love, The Surrey With the Fringe on Top, I Cain’t Say No, The Farmer and the Cowman.

Heaps of cowboy lads in leather chaps swinging gingham- frocked gals around the farm hard and dance hall. What’s not to like?

There’s a tendency to forget, however, that Rogers and Hammerstein’s ever-green musical has its dark moments, when violence, even murder hangs on the air.

The test then of a good production is whether the exuberance of the musical love stories is mirrored by the reality of the threat to our heroes and heroines.In the case of this fine production, the balance is superb, in large part thanks to the brooding, dark menacing figure of villain Jud Fry, played here by the vocally talented Nic Greenshields.

Villain he may be, but Jud’s rendition of Lonely Room brought the house down.

Ashley Day plays Curly, the cowboy soft on farm girl Laurey played by Charlotte Wakefield. Both are talented performers whose solo and duet numbers brought rapturous applause.

Gary Wilmot plays Ali Hakim, the wandering pedlar with the wandering hands.

His comic timing is marvellous.

Belinda Lang is Aunt Eller who gets quite the best lines and is a pretty mean shot to boot.

From a fine cast, Lucy May Barker as Ado Annie Carnes and her besotted beau Will Parker played by James O'Connell stand out.

This is a lavish production that had the audience rootin’ and tootin’ from the start and earned a well deserved ovation at final curtain.