Troubles at the French border threatening to spill over into England, investment woes triggered by political turmoil and the tearing down of monuments to former dictators.

Sound familiar? This striking new production of Dickens’ “…best story I have ever written” has been adapted for stage by Mike Poulton of Wolf Hall fame and it shows. From curtains up to curtains down you know you are in sympathetic hands. Hands that understand the universality of the 1859 saga that chronicles human loves and loyalty interwoven into the tapestry of events surrounding the 1789-1799 French Revolution.

Remaining mostly faithful to the classic script: “ it was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness…” we understand that the story was a period drama from the outset. Direction from James Dacre plays tricks on us however, in the early courtroom scene the judge and barristers are wearing the familiar robes and wigs of contemporary legal professionals. Hold on just a minute, aren’t those ‘familiar’ clothes actually from the 18th century? A wormhole henceforth appears for us: access into the timelessness of the story.

There are also assured performances in the production, Christopher Hunter is a wonderfully vile straw-that-breaks-the-camel’s-back in his portrayal of the Marquis. Throwing a coin at the body of a boy his carriage has killed catalysts the mob insurgence and we are partly glad when he gets his comeuppance but sorry to say goodbye to the performance of his unbounded contempt for the working classes. Joseph Timms meanwhile gives a convincing rendition of Sydney Carton, the defense lawyer, love lost drunken flâneur and eventual Christ-like redeemer of the tale and (as Dickens would have it), of France itself.

Meanwhile of particular resonance for today’s climate is Noa Bodner’s portrayal of Madame Defarge, glorious in her revolutionary zeal, she leads the people straight out of a Eugène Delacroix painting, but in her desire for retributory blood is laid waste by Dickens as a cautionary devise.

Moreover, any criticism of the production might lie in the breadth of the story itself. It was originally published in 45 chapter installments spanning eight months during which Dickens could revise the characters based on reaction to reader appraisal.

Not so different to hatching out a new season of House of Cards after studying last season’s ratings. The difference being that the latter serialises a single novel, developing themes and characters whereas Mike Poulton’s adaption of Dickens condenses themes and stories into a comparatively short stage production.

This does at times give the feeling that we are being lead rather rapidly through motifs of unrequited love and loyalty, and ultimately to revolution and resurrection. On the other hand all these themes are not mutually exclusive and no less so than in Dickens’ world.

3.5/5

A Tale of Two Cities is showing at The Oxford Playhouse until Saturday