On August 7 1974 Philippe Petit astonished the world by going out for a walk. The stroll took place 1,350ft above the ground on a steel wire suspended between the twin towers of the World Trade Centre in New York. Even more astonishingly, the cable had been rigged illicitly during the night. The police were waiting for him on the other side.
Petit put his version of events in a book, which director Giles Croft believes to be "crying out to be told on stage". Directors usually say this when they know the theatre is the last place a project is likely to work, but want do it anyway. Yet there are moments in Nick Drake's adaptation that genuinely capture the audacity of what Petit called "the artistic crime of the century".
There are two factors responsible for this: Mark Bailey's stunning, panoramic design, which uses the simplest means to suggest that it's a long way down; and the credibility of Dodger Phillips's portrayal of Petit.
Phillips is a fine actor but, more importantly, he's an exceptional street-entertainer: well-versed in the arts of juggling, unicycle-riding and making an exhibition of himself. He amply illustrates that renegade geniuses can also be fairly infuriating people, yet persuades you to indulge his monstrous ego.
Though the script avoids direct parallels with 9/11, it's hard to forget the historical irony. When it seems that Petit's efforts are likely to be frustrated, his girlfriend assures him "the Twin Towers aren't going anywhere". Nor can you watch the preparations of Petit's team for a successful - albeit benign - assault on the towers without being reminded of the cataclysmic events to follow.
Yet Croft's production keeps you enthralled by the fact that Petit conceived the stunt and lived to become technical consultant to this show. It is, one has to concede, a well-balanced production.
· Until July 8. Box office: 0115-941 9419.
