Mahogany Opera and the Opera Group have amalgamated to form the Mahogany Opera Group. The first act of the new company is to revisit HK Gruber's "cabaret opera", first seen at the Huddersfield contemporary music festival in 1994, which is set in a pig sty and performed by five singing sausages. One is intrigued to know what differentiates a singer dressed as a sausage from a singer dressed as a condom; and the answer appears to be not much, as the latex-clad cast are ejected through the chute of a giant mincing machine. It is a good metaphor for Gruber's music, which blends tart, saxophone-led textures, Kurt Weillish satire and Prokofievian rhythmic anarchy into a seemingly indigestible but surprisingly flavoursome combination.

The porcine parable is fairly straightforward. Gloria is the prettiest, if not quite the brightest sow in the farmyard on account of her luxuriant blond curls. She almost fatally mistakes a butcher for a handsome prince, but all turns out well when a slightly diffident boar named Rodney intervenes to save her bacon.

It's mostly scored in the form of clamorous, dense ensemble, which the excellent cast, Chroma chamber ensemble and conductor Geoffrey Paterson steer just the right side of chaos. Though nothing quite qualifies as an aria, Gillian Keith's soubrette-ish Gloria delivers a fanciful meditation while gazing at her reflection in a puddle.

Frederic Wake-Walker's hyperactive production is hardly lacking in ideas, though it may have gained in clarity had he edited a few of them out. There are some inspired moments – a chorus of glove-puppet frogs and a top-hat-and-tails routine performed by a pair of hotdog buns. But the surfeit of surreal costume changes becomes more bewildering than enlightening, and when everyone dons frilly pink ballet skirts it runs the risk of becoming tutu much.

• At Norwich Playhouse (01603 612580), 20-21 May. Then touring until 26 July. Tour: Mahogany Opera Group.