A ROMANTIC Atlantic crossing on the SS America was the setting as Barrow Amateur Operatic Society presented Anything Goes at Forum 28.

The Mail, on May 17 in 2007, noted that the show was packed with star-crossed lovers, gangsters, molls, irascible millionaires and tap-dancing bursars.

The Cole Porter classic was brought to the stage with the help of artistic director Julie Lloyd and musical director Peter Dyer.

The article noted: "Paige Cook stars as Hope, bringing a touch of class and looking a million bucks in her pink cocktail dress."

Martin Craig took on the roll of Billy Crocker, finding chemistry with his old buddy Reno Sweeney — played by Sarah Carrick.

Tony Flanagan played Moonface, Rachel Bird was Erma, Russ Palmer was Elisha.

The Mail noted: "Grant Bowden proves a spiffing Lord Oakleigh."

Barrow shipyard produced liners of the kind featured in Anything Goes — used to take passengers on pleasure cruises and to take families to new lives in places like the United States , Australia , New Zealand and Canada .

They included ships such as the Strathaird, built in 1931, Orion, launched in 1934, the Strathmore, launched 1931 and Oriana, launched in 1959.

Oriana was the last of the great liners to be built at Barrow and work started in September 1957 for the Orient Steam Navigation Company.

The 804ft ship displaced almost 42,000 tons and was launched on November 3 in 1959.

By the time of the maiden voyage from Southampton to Sydney on December 3 in 1960 the cost of the project had been £12.5m.

As built, the liner had a crew of 980 and could carry 2,134 passengers.

Oriana was preserved as a floating hotel in 1986 but was badly damaged and almost sunk by a storm off China in 2004 and was broken up for scrap.

Orion was launched on December 7 in 1934 and was withdrawn from service in 1963 after carrying around 500,000 passengers. It was broken up for scrap in 1963.