I confess to a particular interest in this show as I grew up in Loughton, near Epping Forest, where 300 years ago highwayman Dick Turpin did some of his most dastardly deeds. This musical production more than lived up to the old stories, cleverly intermingling various accounts of this controversial figure — the good, the bad and the ugly.

The cast are so multi-talented I hardly know where to begin. They act, sing, dance and play musical instruments (all at the same time on occasion!), which created a wonderful 18th-century folky ambience — along with Dora Schweitzer’s evocative and clever design.

Movement direction, by Kitty Winter, was particularly important as the cast of five played not only a variety of human characters but also animals. Loren O’Dair was exceptionally good as Black Bess, the horse that carried Turpin on his legendary ride from London to York. The rest of the cast were pretty special, too — Jack Lord as Dick was wonderfully charismatic yet loathsome, and supporting characters such as biographer William Ainsworth (Julian Harries), henchman Tom King (Richard Pepper) and publican Richard Bayes (Morgan Philpott) were brought vividly to life.

The composer, Pat Whymark, has created a terrific score, to which the performers bring a richly 18th-century vibe. In fact, the whole production was particularly well suited to the Theatre at Chipping Norton, which, though not developed into a theatre until the 1970s, was designed on the model of playhouses from the Georgian era. The whole evening was rather like stepping back in time.

Lots of different and ambitious elements went in to make this intelligent and exciting show and the fact that they all blend so harmoniously together is a credit to director Abigail Anderson’s eye for both the detail and the bigger picture.