A colourful, well-paced production of one of Shakespeare's best-loved plays is offered this week at Oxford's Old Fire Station, writes Don Fathers.

This student production is true to the text, and well enunciated too. It is a tale of young love told by a young cast, and, most attractively told. Where it has problems is in the portrayal of mature characters. Only to be expected when the cast is drawn from a young student body. However there are players within this large cast, whose characterisations go beyond this natural limitation.

Rachel Fishwick playing the Nurse, brings a welcome variance of voice pitch and movement to the evening. Roland Oakshett as Friar Laurence is believably sage, in spite of his years. The powerful voice and stage presence of Paul O'Mahony in the role of Mercutio gives weight to the production. This is most certainly not to say that the balance of the performances were lacking in story telling ability.

Romeo and Juliet, played by Kuang Liu and Bethan Jones, are quite fetching lovers. Caught up, as they are, in a murderous family feud their doomed love is the driving force in this complex tale of hate and retribution. I was also struck by Pavel Jiracek's contribution as Benvolio; his gentle, but always audible, voice added to the cast's range.

The players are well drilled in the use of the traverse space, though a little less to-ing and fro-ing when there are only two or three characters on stage would be welcome.

I have said that the show is well paced, and so it is with the live performers. However the progress is slowed significantly by the repetitive, setting and striking, of a cumbersome bed/tomb. It appeared to be something of a logistical challenge to the stagehands on the opening night. It takes a while to break the costume code, a knowledge of the plot is handy here, a knowledge that should never be presumed in a public performance. All in all, a good evening's entertainment, with Shakespeare's words spoken well and clear.