‘I would fain die a dry death,” says Gonzalo as he stumbles ashore at the beginning of Shakespeare’s Tempest. There is little chance of anyone dying a cosy dry death in this new production from Cheek by Jowl’s Russian company: not only is everyone wringing wet from the initial storm, buckets of water are also liberally sloshed around later. They provide everything from washing facilities (a spot of nudity involved), to entertaining larking about, to serious symbolic spiritual cleansing.

It’s typical of Declan Donnellan’s masterly direction that he builds the initial storm slowly. A gentle breeze is heard, then the three doors incorporated into the set start to creak. Only after that is the full fury of the storm unleashed, by which time you are on the edge of your seat.

Donnellan presents a harsh world, physical violence is never far away. Prospero (Igor Yasulovich) may be the usurped Duke of Milan, but here is a modern Russian billionaire who is none too worried about treading people underfoot: Caliban (Alexander Feklistov), for instance. He is the exact opposite of the avuncular Earl of Grantham, as portrayed by Hugh Bonneville in TV’s Downton Abbey.

As a result, Antonio, the usurping Duke (Evgeny Samarin) appears no more or less nasty than Prospero. Meanwhile Ariel (Andrey Kuzichev) may be a spirit who leaps about in traditional fashion, but he is dressed in a black business suit. As for Prospero’s daughter Miranda (Anya Khalilulina), she is positively feral, and seems none too bothered when Ferdinand (Yan Ilves) is first pointed in her direction.

But Donnellan doesn’t neglect the comedy. Stephano (Sergey Koleshnya) and Trinculo (Ilya Iliin) are a class double act — camp Trinculo minces ashore from the ship, thankful that his handbag has survived intact, as has the oft-used comb it contains.

As his foil, Stephano finds booze the answer to all problems. The moment when they simultaneously discover they can communicate by mobile phone is a miniature comic masterpiece.

The production is delivered in Russian, a language which suits Donnellan’s concept of the play. Surtitles are provided, but you can’t help missing the beauty of Shakespeare’s soliloquies, many of which are cut. It’s also easy to miss scrupulously observed body language and gestures while you are reading the screen. Nonetheless, having been put on the edge of your seat by the opening storm you are likely to remain there throughout this production’s two-hour running time (straight through, no interval), for there is never a dull or uninventive moment.

Until Saturday. Tickets: 01865 305305 or online (www.oxfordplayhouse.com).