You can tell there's a fuel crisis.

No Mini Coopers for Creation Theatre Company this time - they've only got a bike and a wheelbarrow.

And the wheelbarrow is crucial to one of the daftest scenes in what is already a pretty silly play. It's a familiar tale of mismatched couples, disguised identities (compounded by Creation's small cast doubling up, none more so than the prolific Kevin Murphy, who plays four characters), and love covering a multitude of sins.

The story opens with Don Pedro, his half brother Don John and companions Claudio and Benedick, meeting governor Leonato, his charming daughter Hero and her outspoken cousin Beatrice. Claudio falls for Hero, while Benedick and Beatrice trade insults, yet find themselves attracted - with a little help from their friends.

Which is where the wheelbarrow comes in: the lanky Benedick (Nicholas Osmond) hides in the barrow, gurning at the audience as he overhears Claudio (Tom Golding) and Don Pedro (Guy Burgess) concocting a story about Beatrice being secretly in love with Benedick.

And whaddyaknow? Benedick does indeed start courting the feisty Beatrice (Lizzie Hopley). But then belief is suspended the moment the cast stride into the courtyard in suits and shades (did director Charlotte Conquest dust off a copy of Reservoir Dogs?).

The original comedy is set in Sicily, but Conquest cheerfully admits she moved it to Spain partly to introduce "some fiery flamenco". Hence the roses clenched between teeth and wailing Andalusian songs, but the fun lies in the physical comedy - love-struck Benedick caressing a banana skin; the idiotic constable Dogberry (Gordon Cooper); the squawk of the stylus being yanked from a record player.

The frenetic antics are offset by the measured pace of Gregory Cox as Leonato, Olivia Mace as Hero, Gordon Cooper as Don John, and Caroline Devlin as the servant Margaret.

On Wednesday night, wind affected the accoustics. But while the rain in Spain may indeed have fallen on The Plain, at Oxford Castle there was only sporadic drizzle.