I’VE read a lot about the horrors of the Spanish Civil War but this is the first time I’ve seen a play that tries to capture the tragedy of the vicious fighting that tore the country apart.

Antonito is a young boy growing up in Andalucia in southern Spain, on a farm rearing bulls for the bullring. The five-year-old develops a special bond with Paco, a black calf who he helps to deliver. After watching his first bullfight Antonito discovers that Paco is destined to die in the bullring, so he frees the bull early one morning and the pair escape to the safety of the mountains.

But it’s 1936 and that same morning Antonito watches in terror as his village is bombed to smithereens by General Franco’s planes in what was Europe’s first deliberate aerial bombard-ment.

Gary Turner excels at playing the naïve, terrified Spaniard who meets up with the resistance fighters in the mountains. Gary kept me engrossed during the hour-long performance with his Spanish accent, bullfighter’s outfit and flamenco singing.

The atmosphere is made truly authentic by Pete Aves on acoustic guitar and Chris Holmes on trumpet who add a Spanish flavour to this moving tale during the more tense moments.

A thought provoking play in which you can lose yourself.

Box Office 01722 320 333.

Runs until Saturday May 8.