Macbeth at the De Valence was a first-rate lesson in how to stage Shakespeare intimately and well for a wide audience. It worked both as an eye-opening education and as a thumping good entertainment.

The many pupils from Sir Thomas Picton and Greenhill Schools, who supported the evening, must be delighted with their new understanding of this most popular of Shakespeare's plays.

The Scottish play was performed by the Swansea-based Fluellen Theatre Company, who specialise in classical theatre in Wales.

There's a huge number of characters in Macbeth, and by the actors taking several parts, a cast of nine put on an extremely credible and thrilling play.

Unlike most versions of this darkest of tragedies, the witches (Claire Novelli, Victoria Sutton and Jennifer Shakesby) featured in most scenes, taking up the lines of other characters where necessary.

This worked well, instilling the play with its constant atmosphere of mounting evil - and reminding us of the incipient manipulation of the main characters. These 'three weird sisters' were extremely spooky.

The use of sinister make-up and surreal song and attitudes (almost a choreography) added an exciting bonus to this presentation, which will stay in the mind for years to come.

Yet this was no gimmicky version of Macbeth. Nobody messed about with the lines, which were delivered throughout with precision.

Adrian Metcalfe was a convincing protagonist, no easy task, as Macbeth, one of the Bard's best-known characters, moves from quite nice chap to evil monster in double quick time.

This rarely happens in real life, so it takes a talented actor to take the audience with him. Adrian did this with ease and scenes showing the Scottish king under extreme stress were rather shocking.

Some of the audience, very close, as they were seated in the round, seemed, at times, almost alarmed by the intensity of Adrian's acting.

Sonia Beck's Lady Macbeth was another asset. Famous lines, like 'Out damned spot!' and 'What's done's done' were delivered in dark tones and her telling actions and attitudes accurately mirrored her powerful dialogue.

George Andrews demonstrated his versatility by playing three parts - a stately Duncan, King of Scotland (before Macbeth got to him with a pair of daggers), a drunken fool and Ross, whose delivery of bad news to Macduff was a lesson in delicate acting.

Robert Steel (Malcolm), Owen Staton (Sergeant) and Huw Richards (Macduff) were all powerful in their key roles, as well as convincing in their secondary rolls.

This was a tightly structured, fast-moving presentation by Peter Richards, a director of over 100 plays. There were no dead moments, the fight scenes were genuinely exciting, the action was fast and furious and the off-stage music atmospheric. This Macbeth was a treat.

There's also expected to be a lot of interest in another classic play at the De Valence - Henrik Ibsen's 'A Dolls House' on February 19.

Malcolm Stacey