Shakespeare’s brutal yet hauntingly poetic tale of betrayal, insanity and darkness is being retold by the Oxford Triptych Theatre Company. The play, perhaps one of the bleakest tragedies of all time, tells of how the ageing and increasingly mad Lear is betrayed by the two daughters Goneril and Regan, in their bid for power. Lear rejects Cordelia, the daughter who truly loves him, though he is later reconciled.

This veritable game of happy families continues within the noble Gloucester clan. The evil Edmund betrays his brother Edgar and his father the Earl of Gloucester (who later has his eyes gouged out) to and seduces the sisters while a civil war ensues.

The actors give vibrant, compelling performances which bring the nuances of Shakespeare’s language alive.

Colin Burnie (pictured) gives a convincing portrayal of Lear’s decline into infirmity and confusion but at times lacks volume and perhaps rage, especially during the storm scene when he was overpowered by sound effects. Jonathan Sims is slick as the villainous Edmund, visibly showing his enjoyment and calculation of his heartless criminal acts.

Comic touches are added by Laurence Ridgway, who makes the character France camp and affected, and by Tim Pont as the rough and ready yokel knave employed by Lear, who is the Earl of Kent in disguise.

The Fool is quirky gamine Alexandra Hedges, whose high-pitched tones are entertaining but at times incomprehensible.

Dry ice and sound effects are used to create an eerie and fearful atmosphere in important scenes. Fake blood is used to make the deaths realistic and gory.

The production features about 85 per cent of the original script according to director Simon Tavener. Thus the performance is approximately three hours long, a marathon for the actors.

Happily it kept me riveted throughout. Despite being violent and deeply sad it is a thrilling story told with charisma.