With a heavily convoluted plot and characters that undergo rapid and at times arbitrary transformations, it was testament largely to the strength of the cast’s performance in the Mighty Players’ The Two Gentlemen of Verona that the audience was carried along with one of Shakespeare’s weakest works. Anna Jennings’s directorial choices – such as clever editing of the original script and a largely minimalist approach to staging in the gardens of Selwyn College – managed to create an intimate atmosphere through which the play’s youthful and comedic surface was allowed to contrast nicely with its underlying complexity and depth.

The story’s premise and its features – love triangles, cross-dressing heroines, clown-like servants and a journey into a forest – scream vintage Shakespeare comedy. However, the cast also did well to subtly place emphasis upon the play’s veiled questions concerning the relative importance of friendship and to ensure that the transition to the darker scenes – such as Proteus’ attempted rape of Silvia, a scene which perhaps could have seen an even greater sense of jeopardy or menace added – were not too jarring.

Joe Sefton’s portrayal of the erratic Proteus captured the character’s inner psychological battles perfectly, convincingly depicting a man tormented by the choice between loyalty to his friend and romantic passion for Silvia, well-handling Proteus’ alarmingly quick transition from hopelessly devoted lover, to a crafty and deceptive suitor, through to a potential rapist in a way that slowly repelled an initially emphatic audience. Ben Martineau too deserves plaudits for adding an extra dose of charisma to Valentine, a well-meaning and overly earnest character for whom the Bard offers little opportunity for any meaningful development.

On occasion, the dialogue was rushed and the outdoor staging left parts of some scenes inaudible – particularly during earlier sections involving Julia and Lucetta. However, this was compensated for by strong performances; Alex Strouts nicely illustrated the Julia’s shift from being indecisive and seemingly submissive to a spunky and courageous heroine determined to reclaim her lover’s heart. Meanwhile, Caroline Thornham’s Silvia was spirited and strong-willed – a fellow audience member observed a touch of Beyoncé to the stance and hair flicks that chimed in with the character’s rebellious streak and perhaps reflected Jennings’ admitted desire to create a modern interpretation of a Shakespeare classic.

Nonetheless, despite the impressive performances from ‘deeper’ characters, it was the more comedic characters – The Two Gentlemen of Verona is, after all, a comedy – that stole the show. Simon West’s portrayal of the Duke – a slight yet welcome alteration to the original script – was as amusing as it was energetic; it was a masterful display of the comedic power of a facial expression. George Booth-Clibborn did well to tap into the comic potential of Launce, while maintaining the character’s underlying melancholy. He equally did a superb job of keeping his canine companion – Crab, played by a real-life dog called Basil – from getting overly personal with the audience.

Stanley Thomas – who by all accounts appears to be developing quite a reputation on the Cambridge theatre scene – was outstanding as Speed, delivering a virtuosic performance that took advantage of the quick wit and the repartee of the character, oscillating between voices and using line delivery that appeared so natural it must have been painstakingly mapped out to ensure maximum humour.

Overlooking slight flags in momentum and an inconsistent depiction of Valentine’s band of thieves, the Mighty Players’ production was funny, insightful and dark in all the right places – an entertaining and engaging airing of one of Shakespeare’s most under-played and unknown tales.

 The Two Gentlemen of Verona concludes its run on Saturday 11th June at 14:00 – tickets £5