Brian Ferguson's Orgilus starts out passionate and wounded becoming increasingly bitter and determined. Early on there is a great moment when he sits, disguised as a scholar, in the audience pretending to make conversation with the woman sat next to him. Poor lady didn't know quite what to make of it particularly as he had his arm around her.

With Joe Jameson's Nearchus he has us at "hello" - it's all in the delivery - which makes it a shame that, that character doesn't have more to do. The same can be said for Bassanes' two servants played by Adam Lawrence and Sanchia McCormack who bring a welcome light relief and pretty much steal the few scenes they are in.

Aside from the performances this is a production that will be remembered for its particularly stunning costumes. Think mixtures and combinations of ruffs, pantaloons, breast plates, headdresses and sandals, lots of different sandals in fact.

When the Princess Calantha is crowned after the death of her father, her winged and bustled outfit is lowered down on wires and she manoeuvres into it - Queen Elizabeth I never had anything quite like this.

It all leads up to the inevitable tragic deaths and bloody revenge - it's Jacobean drama, you'd be disappointed if at least one character didn't meet a gruesome end. The Sam Wanamaker gets a Stan thumbs up for the first spilling of stage blood this year and in such a volume as to keep the suppliers happy. Luckily for the stage crew one of the cast kindly puts down a sheet to protect the carpet.

I still have problems with the Sam Wanamaker theatre as a venue but managed to get a slightly more comfortable seat, albeit with a slightly restricted view. The actors used every entrance and exit available to them and the intimacy of the space made you feel almost part of the action which almost made up for it.

The Broken Heart runs at the Sam Wanamaker Theatre until 18 April.

* Cheek By Jowl did a great production at the Barbican