<<  -- 5 --  Roderic Dunnett    DANCE OF DEATH

Jones uses every angle : Herman's bed is vertical, snapshotted from above, as if fate, or the murdered Pique Dame, were enjoying a heaven's-eye view; the gaming table is steeply raked, and fades away at the final curtain (disastrously, alas - the machinery creaked as if London Underground were approaching) to give a similar final perspective.

But the best of the set pieces was the mesmerising puppetry (Amy Rose, Chris Pirie and members of the chorus) used for the delicious Act II pastoral, the almost heartsearing vocal lines taken by Liza, Polina and Tomsky respectively : no wonder adults still flock to see puppet theatre in Prague, if it can generate drama so well-characterised and intense as this. Mandy Dymond made the puppets and bony appendages : definitely someone to invite to your children's parties - but not for the under fives.