THIS is a wonderfully creative production of a terrific musical featuring some excellent performances.

Cabaret is a musical set apart from most others. Its undertones are sinister and pretty much as dark as it gets, and many of its leading characters are seriously flawed.

The story is set in the seedy clubs of Berlin during the 1930s as the Nazis begin to make their ugly presence felt.

Clifford Bradshaw, an American writer, arrives into the hedonistic atmosphere of Berlin, initially soaking up the fun on offer, meeting on his first night Kit Kat Club singer Sally Bowles.

It is Sally's wonderfully reckless and irresponsible attitude to life which initially attracts him, but later threatens to ruin everything. The couple are excellently portrayed by Susie Riley and Gary Harvey. Susie gives a particularly wonderful rendition of the showstopping number Cabaret.

The dark politics of Nazi Germany cut through the lives of each character, particularly the newly engaged older couple Fraulein Schneider and her Jewish fiance Herr Schultz, again well played by Edwina Freeman and Graham Stamford.

As the show progresses the humour becomes more uncomfortable, and no character personifies this more clearly than Emcee, the seedy character, who takes the audience on a journey through the show, as the Kit Kat Club's host. John Cornthwaite as Emcee gives a truly memorable performance.

The club is always there as a central point for the action, and the society has shown a great deal of imagination by creating a three dimensional set for it. The wonderfully colourful costume, expert lighting and terrific make up add to the overall effect of a terrific show.