IT IS a magnificent vision that has given us this great sweep of English history for the millennium.

The Royal Shakespeare Company's This England - The Histories began in March with Richard II, has followed through with Henry IV and Henry V and now, triumphantly brings the three parts of Henry VI to life.

The 12 hour marathon is being staged in a single day (or in successive performances) at a transformed Swan Theatre. The audience completely encircles the action which, in Michael Boyd's thrilling production, not only fills the stage but bursts upwards and downwards on trapezes, hoists, ladders, swings and ropes. Every spare inch of theatre is packed with the dramatic blood-stained journey through the pages of our past.

And blood-stained it certainly is with aerial disembowelling, severed limbs and heads, gouged out eyes and sliced livers and lights just some of the gruesome threads which knot up the tapestry.

But there is brilliance and glitter too, nobility and honour, love and trust woven together in a complex, spell-binding story of a country and people at war.

The great unifying king Henry V is lowered into his grave as the plays open. The coronation of the baby Henry Vl leads to rivalry in England as noble families seek dominance while the French revolt and, led by Joan of Arc, fight to reclaim French lands.

A diplomatic marriage between the young king and Margaret of Anjou only leads to further strife as enmity between the Yorks and Lancasters sharpens and a peoples' revolt is led by Jack Cade.

To help establish peace, Henry Vl concedes that the crown shall pass to the House of York and Edward Vl is crowned - but his brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester is already planning his downfall....

That's the bare bones of the tale which Shakespeare unfolds in three parts but it is fleshed out with infinite humanity and intelligence and brought to life by some towering performances.

As the young king, David Oyelowo demonstrates an emotionally charged depth as a peaceful, bookish young man thrust into kingship and conflict at such an early age. He has a serene, haunting beauty of spirit and is clearly anguished by the conflicts between those close to him and among his subjects.

Clive Wood's York grows in power and weight as he gains in his conviction of his right to the crown and Fiona Bell is a forceful presence on the RST stage as Joan of Arc in Part One, and Queen Margaret in Parts Two and Three.

There are memorable images throughout the action - the King's bride, literally framed in gold, descending to the stage; revolutionary Jack Cade (Jake Nightingale) inciting rebellion from a trapeze; the dead descending into a tomb or the jaws of death; triumphant knights viewing the action from above vast, clangorous bronze doors, red and white feathers wafting down to the floor as the opposing armies battle grimly to the death...

Especially effective in underscoring the waste are Keith Bartlett as a father who discovers he has killed his son in battle and Sam Troughton as a son who discovers he has killed his father. The latter also doubles as Henry, Earl of Richmond in a neat closing of one circle in that Sam's real-life father David played Henry Bolingbroke, the pretender to the throne in Richard ll.

And in a chilling final moment Aidan McArdle, as Richard, Duke of Gloucester, promises dramatic splendour in Richard lll, as he paddles in blood while cooing to the next Royal heir and hissing to the audience the opening lines of the next play: "Now....."

Twelve hours in the Swan and it only served to whet the appetite for more.... LG