Like so much else she's ever been involved with, Thoroughly Modern Millie has become forever associated with Julie Andrews. Her presence in the original 1967 film doubtless meant that sniping critical comments like "Initially most agreeable, but subsequently patchy 1920s spoof" had little effect on box office takings. The story features Millie Dillmount, who abandons small-town Kansas for life in 1920s New York. Once there, Millie takes up residence in Mrs Meers's dodgy hotel and associated Chinese laundry - laundry baskets are very useful for smuggling out drugged guests, girls who thought they were going to become Broadway hoofers. In fact, Mrs Meers is selling them into the white slave trade. None of that for Millie, however: she takes a job in the splendidly named Sincere Trust Insurance Corporation, and sets her determined sights on marrying the boss.

In 2002, the film was adapted as a Broadway show, and the stage version of Thoroughly Modern Millie is the challenging choice of the Musical Youth Company of Oxford for its 20th anniversary production at the Playhouse this week. Why is it a challenge? Because - to be brutally frank - the show is as patchy as the film, and quite a lot of Jeanine Tesori's music stands in danger of going in one ear, and straight out the other.

But does any of this put off director and choreographer Guy Brigg or conductor Julie Todd? It does not. Starting with a pacy overture (the band playing is spot on throughout), it's straight into the first big chorus number.

And what a chorus - some 40 strong, smartly drilled, and superbly dressed in 1920s haute couture (girls) and dinner jackets (boys), it performs the Charleston like there's no tomorrow. There's also a stunning number in which the girls transform into tap-dancing stenographers in the insurance office. They sound like 30 typewriters all clacking along at once.

As Millie, Hayley Bater grew in confidence as the first night unfolded. Her voice suits the part well, and seems to slide effortlessly from silky smoothness to a dramatic hard edge, as required. As fellow hotel resident Miss Dorothy, Laura Chaitow sings strongly, as does Camilla Durnin as nightclub singer Muzzy van Hossmere. Frankie Williams provides an evil, Katasha-like Mrs Meers, and there's a star comedy double act from Donal Anand Shaw and James Yan as Chinese laundrymen. Praise is due to all concerned for turning Thoroughly Modern Millie from a sow's ear into a considerable silk purse.