Until this evening I had, extraordinarily, managed to escape anything to do with Captain Corelli's Mandolin. I have not read Louis de Bernierès’ exceptionally successful 1993 novel nor seen the 2001 film starring Nicolas Cage – which is unusual as I have a bit of a thing for Mr Cage. All I knew about the plot was that it involved love, a mandolin and possibly a goat (I had got that from the book cover). Therefore, consider this an unbiased account of Mike Maran’s charming production which was a gentle sail through a captivating story of love lost, love found and love laughed at.

Located on the Greek island of Cephalonia from the Second World War to the present day, the performance is set against a backdrop of ingenuous furniture and props, including my goat, complete with wind-up mouth. In addition, there’s a cannon topped with three wooden heads which is wheeled on stage whenever additional characters are required.

Bar two musicians (and the three wooden heads), there is a single performer, Maran, who tells the tale, becoming all the characters as well as intermittently treating the audience to glimpses of his own personality. The narration-style performance together with scarce scenery allowed my imagination to flourish; which in today’s culture where our ever-decreasing attention spans are fed with hollow spectacular effects, over-amplified music and garish outfits, was extremely relaxing. I left the theatre feeling as though I had undergone two hours’ meditation. 

The musicians – mandolin player Alison Stephens, a renowned artist who also played on the soundtrack to the film, and Anne Evans on flute and piano – skillfully performed a delicate tapestry of sounds that wove around Maran’s words. They generated sentiment where necessary but the odd beaten-drum and tuba honk brought you back to reality when you had drifted off a little too far into your own daydreamed Greek island.

Set during the Italian/German occupation of Cephalonia, the story explores controversial people in uncomfortable situations, but the ideologies and politics fade into the background as the subject of love, be it between lovers or family, becomes the real subject of interest. 

Maran’s Captain Corelli's Mandolin is a sophisticated, witty production that combines the power of a good yarn with dreamy musical talent and the almost-forgotten beauty of swimming inside your own imagination.