The Miser

Norwich Puppet Theatre (Norwich International Puppet Festival)

Ingenuity was the key note in Catalan company Tabola Rassa's production.

This is their second visit to the International Festival of Puppet Theatre with the same piece of work: a retelling of The Miser using the paraphernalia of plumbing. But this time, the show was translated into English by Tom Godwin. And my word, did he do a good job.

It is unlikely that Moliere would recognise his original, however. This was not a show for the purist. The Miser himself was played by a tarnished tap, whose body was a bunch of threadbare hessian and whose stooped walk was assisted by a copper stick. The puppet, so constructed, strutted across the stage, guarding his water as the original character defended his gold.

And the concept went right the way through the play's fabric, from staging to script, so that gold became water and characters described themselves as “flush” or “drained dry”.

The late, great Jack Rosenthal once described comedy as a constant little surprise. And you simply didn't know what Heath Robinson-style invention would pop up next. Each fresh idea was a comic revelation.

Truly original theatre, which totally communicated the age old view of man's absurdity over money, love and power.