Caught between the demands of his king and his conscience, Thomas More chooses not to choose. Abingdon Drama Club's production of A Man For All Seasons does the play full justice. It is cast and staged exactly as its author Robert Bolt intended, hitting all the right emotional notes. Despite the tangled political and philosophical complexity of this historical drama, the audience is swept along by the dramatic narrative.

The play benefits from purposeful, high-quality production design and attention to detail. The iconic costumes gave the characters the solidity of a Tudor portrait gallery come to life. The relatively simple set design, sound and lighting is enough to create vivid atmosphere while allowing the scenes to flow easily into each other. These smooth seamless transitions are overseen by the Common Man, played with versatility in all his various guises (and accents!) by Tony Green, providing helpful introductions, information and an outsider's commentary on the play.

Jon Crowley is the absolute embodiment of Sir Thomas More, in appearance and in temperament. Unnervingly real, his understated self-certainty, benevolence, sharp wit, emotional integrity and occasional vulnerability are all perfectly depicted. His unfaltering determination to the last is both inspiring and tragic, and the moment of love and understanding he shares with his wife Alice (Jayne Henderson) near the end of the play brought tears to my eyes.

Thomas Cromwell (John Hawkins) and Richard Rich (Richard Wilson) both brought complexity to their roles, prolonging the period where we can retain some sympathy towards their characters, before becoming utterly loathsome as the play reaches its conclusion. Leon Witcomb as Archbishop Cranmer has developed irony as an art form: his small gestures and facial expressions often relieved the tension in the darker moments of the play.

Director Terry Atkinson's appearance as the volatile King is a defining moment of the first act. Overbearing and tempestuous, he owns the stage and everything on it and makes it daylight clear why this is a man not to be crossed, leaving a lasting impression that colours everything that follows.

This is a really faithful, honest production of the play. Bolt's writing is concise and elegant, and it was satisfying to see it so simply and powerfully presented by such a strong and talented cast.