And so it proved. THE BACCHAE was one of the most extraordinary and of the best productions I have seen anywhere, not just at Eden Court.

Cumming played Dionysus, a Greek god demanding recognition from the people of Thebes.

He's driven the women of the city wild, and they are engaging in drunken Bacchic rituals in the mountains.

Dionysus meets resistance from Theban king Pentheus, who regards the god as an impostor. The play revolves around their battle for supremacy, but as it's god against mortal, you know in advance who's going to come out on top.

Cumming's performance as Dionysus was superb.

He was both camp and exuberant, but also petulant and menacing. It was a difficult combination to pull off, but he did it terrifically.

And he had excellent support from Cal Macaninch as Pentheus, who injected exactly the right note of arrogance and control freakery into the role.

There were also some excellent musical numbers and the choregraphy was also first class.

David Greig's modern translation of Euripides' original work was spot on, and included plenty of humorous moments. It's difficult to believe that a play like this is actually 2,500 years old.

With its themes of the clash of religious and political authority, the irrational excesses demanded by religion, and the fear that men have of women's sexuality while also wishing to be titillated by it, it is as relevant today as it was in ancient Greek times.

A truly excellent production.

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