The modern notion that fairy tales are solely for children is inaccurate according to new Brighton ensemble Theatre O. With their eternal themes of craving, loneliness and love, they are relevant to us all.

Consisting of five actors who came together last autumn, their debut production uses their combined backgrounds in poetry, dance, theatre and shamanism - yes, really - to revive the ancient tradition of storytelling.

The result is a cabaret of strange and beautiful tales about the human condition, conjured from the landscapes of Scandinavia, Japan and Britain.

Skeleton Woman is a story of love emerging from icy seas; Peter/Peter, a farce about greed; Return Of The Sun shows what happens after a quarrel between the sun and wind goddesses.

The company hopes it will leave the audience with the sensation of having "fallen through a hoop, backwards, into other riveting worlds".

Actress Ocean Isoaro, last seen in 24 Hour Plays at Komedia last November, says: "There's so much you can do with words. We're used to cinema and TV now but storytelling has a real magic.

"There's no hidden agenda or particular message to this piece, it's just about bringing folk tales and stories and myth together and showing people that they can absolutely be for an adult audience."

It is only in the past 200 years that fairy tales have been "nice-ified", Isoaro says.

The centuries-old Cinderella - which some believe originated in Ancient Egypt - has its roots in a much more bloody, sexual and gruesome tale than that told by the Brothers Grimm. Likewise, Snow White, with its themes of female rivalry and infanticide.

The company is interested in showing the ambiguity apparent in some of the stories, where the behaviour of characters is morally unclear. It also looks at the values different cultures hold dear.

"It's about showing every side of humanity," Isoaro says. "They are all open to interpretation and things aren't always black and white.

"We're interested in looking at what other cultures would consider sacred, which is not necessarily what we in the West would consider sacred.

"But I think it's fascinating how the same stories appear in various forms around the world. Our passion is for making theatre that brings through that simplicity and oneness of us all.

"We're not all that different really."

  • 8pm, £6/£5, 07786 984900