RED Shift Theatre followed up its successful adaptation of popular thriller The Third Man with a second rendition of something that achieved cult status on the big screen - Get Carter.

You may feel that they bit off more than they could chew, but for new audiences this could appear a distinctly stylish and snappy production.

Staged at Hereford's Courtyard, the slow-motion violence worked for me, with great use of stage blood, but conjoined with other theatrical stylisms (blasting 70s soundtrack/overlapping of scenes/dead characters appearing with advice) there was a danger of overkill.

Sometimes it was more spectacle than special, but it was a good romp.

You can catch up with Get Carter at Worcester Swan Theatre next week (February 9-11); Cardiff WMC from March 17-18 and at Wyeside in Builth Wells on April 1.

Julie Harries