What's the first thing people know about The Winter's Tale? It's not the story nor the characters - it's the best-known stage direction in history.
So let's make it clear at the start. This may be a thoroughly modern production, but yes at a crucial point one of the main characters does leave the stage pursued by a bear!
The Red Rose Chain's Theatre in the Forest productions over the years have developed a fine reputation - and this year's show is rollicking good fun from the start to the end.
Anyone daunted by the prospect of a Shakespearian production shouldn't worry - the company is pretty good at sticking to the Bard's words but there are modern touches that come straight out of panto.
The plot of The Winter's Tale is part-tragedy, part-comedy and like other Shakespeare plays is interspersed with loads of misunderstandings.
What this production under Jo Carrick's superb direction does so well is to make the whole evening superbly accessible to everyone.
There are musical interludes - some new, some adaptions of the cheesiest songs of the last 70 years!
There are local references - one befuddled character tries to confuse everyone by looking for the burial mounds!
But it all works absolutely superbly and on an evening when the weather stays fine as it did on Friday the whole thing really is quite magical.
The eight-strong cast each play a number of different characters and they all interact superbly with the audience.
Vincent Moisy as Leontes, the King of Sicily, and Emily Jane Kerr as his wife Hemione get the show off to a great start - before Kerr branches off into another great character which shows off her superb comedy skills.
What is impressive is the number of professional actors in this production who have come through the Red Rose Chain's own youth theatre and bring real energy and freshness to the production.
Theatre in the Forest is at Sutton Hoo until August 26. It's an absolute blast - and the National Trust cafe and facilities are open before and during the interval.
Theatre-goers are also encouraged to come early and bring a picnic to make the show a real event.
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