TELLING the story of a novel of more than 1,000 pages in less than two hours with just three actors might sound like an impossible mission, but Company Boudin do it with aplomb.

Alexandre Dumas’ tale of betrayal and revenge is a literary classic, but this production gives it a new and original twist, telling the story through three Cuban workers in a cigar factory who love the book.

Alex Dunbar, Kali Hughes and Dan Winter set the scene brilliantly, chatting conversationally with the audience, before transporting us into the world of Edmund Dantes.

They slip into different costumes and voices to play the different parts, a total of 19 characters with impressive ease.

Special mention has to go to Hughes, who has some particularly powerful moments as Mercedes, Dantes’ betrothed, and Haydee, his Greek assistant.

The Count of Monte Cristo is already a fantastic adventure story but credit has to go to the brilliant actors, a great script and clever set and prop use for making this production hugely entertaining.

Despite the heavy subject matter, there are lots of funny little moments which lifted the production.

Wonderfully entertaining and definitely worth catching if you can.

COREY ROSS