Brief Encounter is a 1945 film about British suburban life, centring on Laura, a married woman with children, whose conventional life becomes increasingly complicated because of a chance meeting at a railway station with a stranger, Alec. The film starred Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard as Laura and Alec. The screenplay was by Noël Coward, based on his one-act play Still Life while the stage adaptation is by Emma Rice.

Director Lynne Smith had told the Abingdon Herald that 'very few groups... treat this play with the delicacy and sympathy of the period that it deserves.' Courageous words indeed. Last night I sat down to enjoy what was described as a 'must-see'. And, in the end, she was right. Abingdon Drama Club has produced an inventive and well-staged production.

Michael Ward has taken his inspiration from Emma Rice's original production for the Kneehigh company, and replicates their huge onstage screen and their use of still and moving images to underline and illuminate the plot and setting, even (as with Kneehigh) at times featuring the lead actors in those onscreen images. These very clever audio visual effects were displayed on a huge screen which retracts to reveal many of the scenes. It was one of the most innovative things I've seen attempted by any amdram group and it was delivered very effectively indeed.

At the core of the show (as in the film), are the characters of Laura and Alec. Laura King and Terry Atkinson, respectively, give well-paced, subtle and very moving performances as the stricken lovers. Their relationship, and their portrayal of it, is the heart and soul of the show.

Rice also chose to write up the rather easier-going and more amiable relationships between two other couples featured, all of whom work at the railway station. I expect the intention was to point out the stiff, buttoned-down, middle class shufflings of Laura and Alec; but it's too easy – the others are not (as far as we know) married couples and so aren't shackled by circumstances, social stigma, and guilt.

Nevertheless, there is some nice interplay between the buffet manageress, her waitress assistant and the station manager/porter. These are engagingly played by Lorna Stevenson Walker, Rebecca Peberdy and Martin Eggelston with good support from Dave Cassar as Stanley.

Like the film, the production makes good use of the Rachmaninoff concerto; this is still a brilliant theme for this doomed affair. The ending of the play is particularly poignant, as Lin Crowley's Dolly Messiter inadvertently bursts in on the couple's last few minutes and unknowingly tramples on their final farewell.

The show, like the original production, uses songs (and dance) inbetween some scenes. I'm not convinced that these work well. They are well chosen, and delivered with aplomb by the cast but - like Dolly Messiter - they keep breaking the tissue-like fabric of the central romance.

Director Lynne Smith paces her show well, and there are no weak links in her cast – each plays their part in the story well. Lynne's decision to use the clipped WW2 English accents also underlines the straightjacketed, rule-bound lives led by the central tragic couple and adds to the feeling of foreboding for this relationship which we, the audience, know is doomed from the start.

It was a very enjoyable evening. I believe it may be all-but sold out but, if you can get tickets, I'd very much recommend a trip to the Unicorn.