TO quote the Broadsides' brief for She Stoops To Conquer, "set against the increasingly chaotic proceedings of one very long night, this delightful romantic romp is filled with ludicrous misunderstanding, mischief and mayhem".

Well, this is certainly one very long night, and it is a romp, filled with the three Ms, but delightful? No. Romantic? No. And it could do with more of another M, music, its most enjoyable feature, although not at the risk of making the night even longer. Even more judicious cutting than has been applied already would be required.

It would be wrong to stoop to concur with one audience member's one-word review on Tuesday night – "Torture," he said – but nevertheless this is the first disappointing production by Northern Broadsides' resident director, Conrad Nelson, who has directed the likes of A Government Inspector, The Grand Gesture and Nick Lane's adaptation of Orwell's 1984 with brio.

What's more, the buck doesn't stop with Conrad. He is not guilty of a botched restoration job, especially as he made the eminently sensible decision of relocating Tony Lumpkin and co from the West Country to the north. He wants to play the tale of foppish Young Marlow (Oliver Gomm) mistaking young lady Miss Kate Hardcastle (Hannah Edwards) for a lowly barmaid as " a rom-com with a farce-like energy" but She Stoops is a reluctant bride.

The problem rests with the passage of time. While there will be those who disagree with this contention, your reviewer believes that Restoration comedy is pretty much beyond restoration in the 21st century. As Morrissey once eloquently lamented, that joke isn't funny any more, no matter how you dress it up.

Dress it up, they most certainly do, giving Oliver Goldsmith's 1773 tale of big wigs, bigwigs and big bluffs the kind of makeover of home and fashion that a morning TV show would love. Designer Jessica Worrall's costumes combine Restoration tradition with Thomas Rowlandson's satirical exaggeration and the modern-day flair of Vivienne Westwood for the jungle animal prints favoured by Jon Trenchard's Tony Lumpkin and Gilly Tompkins' Mrs Hardcastle.

Meanwhile, Worrall's wish to emphasise the rural society in Goldsmith's comedy leads to her using two giant folding screens covered with digital prints of Gainsborough landscapes. The effect, she says, is to bring the exterior world indoors. Then add a stag's head and other sporting trophies of the dead, shot, animal variety, and she has made a male-dominated northern world far from London sophistication.

The show looks a rumbustious riot, but while the wigs are stacked high so are too many of the decibels: always a sign of the comedy failing to engage and a cast then trying too hard.

She Stoops To Conquer, Northern Broadsides, Harrogate Theatre, today at 2.30pm, 7.30pm; Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, October 21 to 25; West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds, October 28 to November 1; York Theatre Royal, November 25 to 29. Box office: Harrogate, 01423 502116; Scarborough, 01723 370541; Leeds, 0113 213 7700; York, 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk