It was always going to be ambitious. Five actors playing fifteen roles, a complex, nuanced theme and a central character whose defining quality is that you can’t see him. The Sinodun Players have never shirked a challenge though, and they took on Derek Webb’s panto-esque adaptation with energy and invention.

The script suffers from its struggle to bring out the farcical aspects of H.G. Wells’ sci-fi classic, while attempting to land some fairly clunky socio-political commentary. In this production, it was saved partly by the charm of the performers themselves and partly by some ingenious sets and props, which were simple, witty and versatile. Poul Alexander’s lighting design also added a touch of moody class to proceedings.

From the start, the fourth wall was blurred and the players were arguing about fires and pokers that could not be seen. They were invisible, see? Or were they? The message was clear, not to say transparent. You don’t need to see things for them to be there.

Len Pannett as Griffin, the invisible man, did his best to bring some menace into the slapstick but might have been better going for the full panto villain. Maddy Lowe as the innkeeper, the vicar and Griffin’s former tutor, Professor Kemp, was perhaps the most convincing in her character transformations. Chris Bertrand, playing the “gentleman of the road” Marvel and the doctor, gave the whole thing a bit more thespian gravitas, which made the humour work better.

Kate Philips bounced the narrative along with various cameos as a one-person chorus, and Pete Smithson made the most of his trio of caricature policemen.

It was hard going at times. The script left little to the imagination where the jokes were concerned and there were several monologues that explained more than they needed to.

Still, it was a bold choice by Mark Wilkin for his directorial debut with the Players and we were engaged enough to be genuinely moved by the denouement – another fine example of the lighting designer’s art.