Bright lights plunge dark with a crack, sounds silence, seas rise - and we are tossed into a shuddering shipwreck somewhere off the Cornish coast.

You won’t have seen an opening like this at the Gatehouse for many years, if ever.

It’s as dramatic a start as masts fall, lanterns sway and sailors slip away, setting the scene for one of Shakespeare’s greatest works.

As quickly as it came, the darkness is swept away by a shimmering seaside. The mood lightens as we land on a picturesque harbour - complete with working pub - as the tale unfolds.

Several tales in fact, interwoven with scissor sharp comic timing in a perfectly-paced production.

There’s shipwrecked Viola, a sure-footed Molly Windsor (now disguised as a boy) and her love triangle with handsome harbourmaster Orsino (Peter Watts) and Olivia, lovingly played with zesty charm by the brilliant Natalie Anderson.

Then, of course, there’s Seann Walsh as stuck-up Malvolio, a hotel manager from the Basil Fawlty school of hospitality, who is secretly infatuated with Olivia, too.

The role could have been made for the loveable comic who hoovers up laughs galore with the natural timing that has made him a household name.

When the drunken regulars of the village pub discover his secret desire, they hatch a plot to prick his pompous persona and all manner of hilarity ensues. Happily, a lot of this is visual humour, meaning you don’t have to be a Shakespeare buff to ‘get it’. There’s physical comedy galore with Bob Golding’s superb Sir Toby Belch in the thick of things with Callum Sim’s amiable Andrew Aguecheek.

Liz Jadav is excellent as scheming Maria and Sha Dessi turns in the type of scene-stealing performance you’d expect from someone who was Éponine in Les Misérables on the West End.

Andre Bullock (Antonio) and Benedict Landsbert-Noon (Sebastian) are also perfect picks as the whole cast oozes with a chemistry that bonds not just the story, but also brings the audience into play - sometimes literally.

However, the one thing that will definitely stay with you from this stunning production is the music.

Composed and performed by successful folk band Evolution of Fishermen (look ‘em up) and arranged by Musical Director Stephen Hyde, the toe-tapping tunes and atmospheric shanties add lashings of life, love and laughter to the entire production.

And this is clearly a team effort; Lighting Designer Barry Smith works wonders (especially with THAT opening scene), Sound Designer Hattie North maintains the aural ebb and flow and Set Designer Alfie Heywood (who has worked with Take That and Coldplay, no less) deserves huge praise for delivering one of the most impressive sets you could ever wish to see.

Director Sean Turner - returning to the venue following the triumph of last year’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, expertly knits everything together and delivers an evening that will leave you smiling broadly for days to come.

With the Gatehouse bedecked in reclaimed fishing nets, buoys, boxes and even a boat, the whole theatre has embraced this Stafford Shakespeare production which ranks among the very best of its 33-year canon.

For the town to have such high quality entertainment on its doorstep is a compliment to all involved because, make no mistake, this is a production that wouldn’t look out of place on the West End. Don't miss it!

Five stars

Reviewed by David Banner at Stafford Gatehouse where Twelfth Night: A Cornish Tale continues to show until Sunday 7 July.