TESS of the D'Urbervilles has inspired several adaptations, notably Roman Polanski's Tess and the BBC's most recent version starring Gemma Arterton, both of which were filmed as a straightforward narrative. A new production from Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, adapted by Michael Fry, takes a unique approach to the tragic story by casting not one, but three, Tess Durbeyfields, each of whom powerfully represents a stage of her life, from the young innocent girl sent by her mother to claim kin with the grand D'Urbervilles only to have her trust horribly abused played touchingly by Katie Moore who passes Tess's symbolic red shawl to Tala Holmes-Gouveia who plays an older and wiser woman while retaining the caution and sweetness that typified Katie's performance. When Angel Clare betrays her, unable to accept her past, the shawl passes to the final Tess, Nora Wardell, who brings yet another quality to the role - playing a harsher, more knowing woman, a woman who can finally take control of her own destiny.

It's a brave and inspired idea to chart Tess's journey through three actresses, and it's one that comes off, creating a shorthand that cleverly condenses a lot of action into less than two-and-a-half hours without ever losing the essence of Tess's tragedy. Counterpointing the tragedy was a Greek-style chorus singing period country songs, which was powerfully effective thanks to every member of the cast being an accomplished singer Ingenious staging - distilling Tess like this revealed just how many pivotal events took place in horse-drawn carts - and a cast of only 13 playing every character, lost nothing of Hardy's masterpiece, but at the same time created something very different, an ensemble piece that is never less than compelling, and played with conviction by every member of a talented cast.