Arcadia by Tom Stoppard is at the Theatre Royal Bath until Saturday

TOM Stoppard’s Arcadia has been described as one of the finest plays of the 20th century.

Covering grand themes – chaos theory and the second law of thermodynamics – with intelligence and imagination, it is easy to see why the critics fell in love.

It tells the tale of the inhabitants of Sidley Park, an English country house in Derbyshire, circa 1810, and its present day residents, including two modern scholars, juxtaposing the action between the two periods. As their studies unfold and intertwine, the truth of the past is revealed.

The set is simple – a large table is used in both time periods, with props remaining in situ, whether modern or antique.

Director Blanche McIntyre told her actors to ‘breathe deep and think big’ in presenting Stoppard’s lines. And that advice should go to the audience as well – this isn’t a merry little romp or an edge-of-your-seat whodunit, but a play that will expand your view of the world and bring your assumptions into question.

Big, powerful, thought-provoking stuff. So if you’re in the mood to blow away those winter cobwebs and get the old brain cogs whirling, this will be right up your street.

That’s not to say it’s dull – there are laughs aplenty, and Kirsty Besterman deserves special mention for her comedic portrayal of Lady Croom.