THIS is a show of great verve and vitality plus power and passion.

The Bible is not a dry, dusty, tedious experience to these budding actors, dancers and singers.

Rather they have tapped into the potency of these ancient tales, the kernel of our culture, and interpreted them for the 21st century - while still keeping faith with their message.

God the Creator is portrayed by Nicholas Holbek as a rapper. Bare-chested Adam (Mike Barlow) is unable to resist the seductive charms of Eve (Felicity Skiera) after she was undone by the malevolence of Lucifer (Jessica Zillessen) posing as a hissing serpent.

After Cain (Sebastian Voigt) kills his brother Abel (Luke Dunford), comic relief comes with hen-pecked Noah (Matthew Scruton) and his nagging wife (Natalie Dennis). When Abraham (Lee Richardson) prepares to sacrifice his son Isaac (Joe Mills) to God, the scene focuses on what the Bible does not say and what the characters, including Abraham's wife Sara (Harriet Allan), might have thought.

This biblical helter-skelter of a show rushes into the New Testament with Joseph (Kit Hildyard) trying to come to terms with Mary (Lizzy Hope), his intended, being great with God's child.

Their difficult journey to Bethlehem - to the strains of In The Bleak Mid-winter - is mirrored by that of the three magi travelling from afar to pay homage to the infant Jesus. T S Eliot's famous poem, The Journey Of The Magi, was used to telling effect, as was the strobe lighting during the Massacre Of The Innocents - ordered by Herod (Luke Dunford) and Son (Martin Blake), a diabolical double act.

The temptations of Jesus Christ (Jonathan Holbek) in the wilderness featured images of famine in Africa, American forces fighting in Vietnam, and suicide hijackers destroying the World Trade Centre in New York. Powerful stuff, as was Christ's crucifixion between two criminals. The show, directed and devised by John Cooper and Anna Silman, made excellent use of music, including Dancing In The Streets during Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem, Tears In Heaven after He was nailed to the Cross, and the Amazing Grace/Oh Happy Day medley when Christ ascended into heaven.

Another musical highlight was Judas (Ben Stamp) singing Without You after he betrayed Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Box Office: 01904 674675

Updated: 12:37 Thursday, September 25, 2003