Chocolate Box Theatre bring their 2014 production of Sondheim’s delightful fairy story musical to a venue that offers a slightly bigger acting space. It is still a feat of ingenuity on behalf of the director and choreographer to manoeuvre the large cast in a restricted area.

The musical takes classic fairy tale characters and mixes them into a clever storyline that resolves their problems by the end of the first act. The interval has the audience wondering what could fill a second act. There is plenty and all much darker.

The quality of the acting and singing from a strong cast equals the inventiveness of the staging. Among the many memorable performances, Conor Baum as Jack, Emilia Tzilios’s blood thirsty Red Riding Hood and Lucy Pickering as Jack’s mother stand out for their comedy.

Tabitha Wady as the baker’s wife brings an earthy sexual edge to the role, particularly in the scene where she is ravished by the Prince. As her husband, Michael Chance excels and delivers a beautiful version of No More.

A neat touch is having Cinderella dress as a drab charlady until her ballroom transformation. Katy Wale shines with both gentle sweetness and, ultimately, with firm practicality.