The unnamed young woman from Muswell Hill in the original 1979 production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Don Black’s Tell It on a Sunday is transformed into a Liverpool lass called Laura in the sparky 2010 revival which opened last week at the Royal and Derngate, Northampton. Liverpool, one supposes, because it stars celebrated Scouser Claire Sweeney strutting her stuff in succession to an impressive range of singers who have taken this demanding role, including Marti Webb, Denise van Outen and Sarah Brightman. Why Laura is anyone’s guess.

Those who have seen earlier versions of this song-packed show, which details the love life of a British ex-pat struggling to make a go of things in New York, will detect other changes. Numbers have been rearranged and some added, including the excellent Dreams Never Run on Time which supplies a fine finale. The poignant letters home are now replaced — but of course — by emails.

Some things do remain the same, though — including the feeling that Laura is not a very sympathetic character. As one watches her progress through a succession of relationships — moving quickly from early ecstacy to the booze-fuelled misery of rejection — it is hard not to conclude that she is, frankly, a bit of a slapper. The impression is hardly diminished by the rapidity with which Ms Sweeney gets through the many provocative outfits (basques, nighties and the like) that litter Laura’s cluttered flat (designer Janet Bird), each having been barely put on before it is time — this presumably the point of the operation — to remove it again.

Still, as I said, the musical is packed with many fine songs that show Lloyd Webber in particularly melodic mode, with witty words by Black which are certainly better than anything Tim Rice has ever managed.

The production, directed by Tamara Harvey and with Jae Alexander in charge of music, can be seen at the New Theatre, Oxford, on September 16 (0844 847 1585) and later at the Hexagon, Reading (Nov 5), the Wyvern, Swindon (Nov 17-19), and the Wycombe Swan (Nov 20/21).