I was spellbound from the first moment of Metamorphoses presented by the Qld. Shakespeare Ensemble. I love Shakespeare and although this was their first non Shakespeare production, it was just as good and held my interest from beginning to end.

This production was from the Tales of Ovid by Ted Hughes. Ovid was one of the great Roman poets from the first century AD. I am not familiar with his work, but I realized that these ancient myths are just as relevant today as they were then. The cast focused on four of the Tales using symbology to explore this. The common thread throughout was the intense passion that was brought to life - a passion that in our modern world we tend to push aside and shun.

Jungian psychology tells us that pushing aside our acceptance and understanding of mythology and our deep passion can turn this into our dark side. These hidden aspects of self, if left unacknowledged can then come up to haunt us in the form of dysfunctional behaviour.

The gift of this production was that it was an open invitation, giving permission to all of us to acknowledge and own our dark sides. Allowing myself to become swept up in the passion of the actors was very freeing. I loved it.

The acting was superb. There is something so compelling about movements executed so well that it becomes almost a dance, and when this is accompanied by evocative words, passionately executed, the result is not just a play, but a theatrical experience.

Outstanding acting in the scenes of revenge, murder and rape had me on the edge of my seat. There were also lighter moments with the recurring scene of the relentless mission to "impregnate a virgin". Watching this, complete with simulated sex, was hilarious.

The programme did not note which of the six performers played what roles. I would like to see this rectified, as this would have allowed me to single out particular performers and would also allow the audience to watch out for names of people they liked in future productions. Having said that, it would be hard to single anyone out, as they were all good, but some of the scenes were particularly well done.

One aspect that had me a little puzzled was the use of plastic covering on the lounge in the set. The crackle of the plastic every time this was used was a little disconcerting. A black drape could have achieved the same but less intrusive effect, so unless there was some significance to the plastic of which I was unaware, I would suggest a change.

The background music and effects was beautifully done by Gavin Edwards. I particularly enjoyed his guitar solo before the play opened. While this production may not have universal appeal to all audiences, anyone who appreciates the classics and superb acting would love it. Even if the "plot" was a little obscure for some, no one could fail but be delighted and appreciative of the acting which is some of the best I have seen in Brisbane. This is a powerful and passionate production and I would certainly like to see more of this.

So go along and judge for yourself.