The David Wood adaptation of Roald Dahl's story for children, Fantastic Mr Fox' was brought to enchanting life in the Richmond Shakespeare Society Youth Theatre production at the Mary Wallace Theatre recently.

Mr Fox's thieving ways arouse the ire of farmers Boggis, Bunce and Bean. They ruthlessly employ every means at their disposal to destroy the fox and his family. They bulldoze the hill which contains the fox-hole, at the same time destroying the homes of many other animals.

An imaginative and innovative set on two levels showed us the farmers at ground level and the foxes in their den underneath.

The tunnel created by the foxes was a series of hoops covered in cloth and laid in the theatre aisle.

The resourceful hero was played with panache by Kieran Brunt. He was an upper crust fox wearing shades' and delivering his lines in a clipped accent. Music, well-chosen and performed, was an integral part of the production. There was an enchanting scene when Mrs Fox, played by the charming Fenella Hawksley-Walker, sang a lullaby to the tune of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' accompanied by flute and pizzicato violin.

A particularly amusing item was a group of chickens doing a disco dance and singing There's Nobody Here But Us Chickens'. A bonus in the interval was a very pleasant duet by two violin-playing foxes. The members of the cast, all under 15 years of age, came in on cue and a good time was had by all. The animal costumes were excellent.

Many thanks and congratulations to director Katie Abbot and her team for an entertaining and innovative production of a much-loved story.

Joy Manners