This witty adaptation by Simon Startin proved to be funny and sharp, with the talented members of Gwent Young People’s Theatre bringing to life Homer’s classic.

It is no easy task to unravel the complexities of the Greek classic but these youngsters did it with humour, horror, monsters and heroes, with some memorable one-liners.

It was inspirational to use Homer himself, brilliantly played by Aidan Jones, as the narrator, and the thespian proved his versatility in a cameo role operating one of the dogs, Argus.

There was another memorable performance from Dan McCaully as the hero Odysseus, making his epic journey home to his wife Penelope, beautifully portrayed by Eleanor Cotterill.

You could not fault one of the cast of more than 25, but the performances of Zoe Jofeh, Ruth Bilsborough and Nell Dawson as the Three Graces, Alex Hayes as Zeus, Alice Badman as his daughter Athene, Jack Badman as the hero’s son Telemachus and Lewis Indge as Eumaeus were outstanding.

Directors Gary Meredeith, Stephen Badman and Leighton Martin always go for the understated and the set was cleverly planned by stage manager George Davis-Stewart and designer Georgina Miles. The simple transformation of the stage into a raging sea with just two swathes of chiffon was so effective.

The classics were sometimes seen as dull and boring by many students, but this production really brought to life Homer’s story. Another first class show from this talented troupe.