I’m not sure what the Cornish word for wow is (maybe Kerwow) but it is the only word fitting to describe this incredible play.

Kneehigh’s breakthrough, reimagining a Cornish legend of King Mark and his love for his Irish rival’s sister, was originally staged in castle ruins 20 years ago but still feels incredibly fresh and innovative. It is a production fizzing with ideas, bursting at the seams with inventiveness.

Visually it is so beguiling, cinematic moments of pure beauty aplenty with falling petals, flaming stages and red scarves of spilled blood. It is about the duality of love; where hate and love, black and white, are two sides of the same coin and about different kinds of love; red, hot passion, comforting love, paternal love, love for a leader.

The first half is playful, hilarious and fast-paced, at the interval the only quibble is maybe it lacks gravitas. But the second half hits you with such emotional heft as illicit lovers are uncovered, sentenced to death, freed, escape, part and die.

It is so deft how the play seamlessly transitions from comic moment to touching sentiment to physical dexterity all in the blink of an eye and yet never jarringly. It would be unfair really to pick out individuals from an all-round cast who hit the heights not just in dramatic performance but dance, music and acrobatics.

The eponymous lovers (Dominic Marsh and Hannah Vasello) ooze sensuality, excelling in an imaginative ship scene with pulleys to create the weightlessness of falling in love and getting drunk, Niall Ashdown who suddenly moves beyond the cross-dressing comic role of Brangian and startles us with the depth of newly-realised feelings and Kirtsy Woodward (Whitehands) delivering a piercingly poignant battle cry for the unloved.

This is theatre of such euphoria, boldness and vivacity I think it may destroy my enjoyment forever of any other theatrical performance that does not match its ambition.

Thanks Kneehigh, you brilliant swines.