REVIEW: Volpone - at the Swan Theatre. Stratford-upon-Avon, various dates until Saturday, September 12, 2015.

THIS is a great leap forward in time for this very, very old comedy which has morphed into a contemporary Latin situation - but it’s none the worse for it.

Whether Ben Jonson, who penned it 400 years ago, and some purists would agree is another matter but today’s audience clearly enjoyed this update with its numerous references to the trappings of the 21st century - Twitter, security cameras, along with mobile phones, while global warming, the Euro crisis and more get an airing too.

Hopefully Jonson would have enjoyed Ranjit Bolt’s revisions to his original text which clearly added to the humour and enjoyment on the night, and we do still have the basic tale of mankind’s greed as well as his gullibility.

Volpone, already a wealthy Venetian, wants greater riches and like many of today’s phone and computer cons his aim is to get something for nothing as he preys on others who think they too will be rewarded for little effort.

His little game, his scam, is to dangle the prospect of them becoming heir to his fortune while steadily sucking away theirs.

He is joyously, if not gloriously portrayed by the extremely talented Henry Goodman, who largely dominates the production from start to finish.

He is clearly in his element and while his quick switch from chiseler charmer to a sickly old man at death’s door - with wonderfully funny facial expressions, are to be venerated there were a number of other highlights on the night too such as Annette McLaughlin’s over-the-top WAG - Lady Politic Would-Be, who flounced around with an entourage of stylists and camera crew in tow, and also Matthew Kelly’s churlish and calculating Corvino, also a rich businessman, who believes the pimping of his wife will help serve his long-term aims.

Orion Lee provided reminders of Bert Kwouk’s Cato during his run-ins with Peter Sellers’ Clouseau in the Pink Panther films, as the servile assistant Mosca - the worm who eventually turns on his master. But this called for the need to be sharper, a little more ruthless. Meanwhile what a great trio were Volpone’s other servants - Jon Key, as the dwarf Nano, Ankur Bahl (Androgyno, a hermaphrodite) and Julian Hoult (Castrone, a eunuch). A bizarre and brilliant bunch.

Designer Stephen Brimson Lewis provides yet another fairly spartan set as now seems the norm with the thrust stages in both the Swan and RST. Considerably contemporary but, with its neon stock-exchange data flashing overhead, security screens and minimal props, it performed its function well.

Director Trevor Nunn’s modernist dress revival, it can be guaranteed, will not be to everyone’s taste but going on audience reaction alone there appeared little discontent. It is over three hours long, including the interval, but the time does fly by as it always seems to do when you are enjoying yourself.

It’s worth the trip to Stratford just to see Volpone in full flight as a street seller extolling his cure-all-ills oil along with humorous ad-libs with a couple in the front row…

Goodman at full throttle and, by golly, it does you good!