Stephen Sondheim is the undisputed thinking person's musical theatre composer and lyricist. Everyman Theatre's stunning production of Assassins is a glowing testament to Sondheim's genius.

Based on an idea by Charles Gilbert Jr. and with a book by John Weidman, Sondheim's investigation of presidential assassinations and various unsuccessful attempts since John Wilkes Booth shot dead Abraham Lincoln in 1865 is gripping, thought-provoking entertainment.

Chris Zuber's set design is Brechtian in its concept. The setting is minimalist, arranged with a large hanging curtain, wooden crates and a wagon that harks back to the America of the Wild West.

A small band under the enthusiastic baton of conductor and musical director Alexander Unikowski sits behind a costume rack at the rear of the stage, where actors change costumes in full view. The cast sit on stage throughout as observers and participants in the action. Running for 100 minutes without an interval, Assassins is a timely and relevant critique on the Land of the Free where everyone has the right to dream, to be happy and to own a gun.

Narrated by a balladeer (Pippin Carroll), who also doubles as JFK's assassin, Lee Harvey Oswald, Assassins features Jarrad West as John Wilkes Booth who inspires future assassins, Jonathan Rush as James Garfield's assassin, Charles Guiteau, Isaac Gordon as William McKinley's assassin, Leon Czolgosz and Carroll as Oswald. Failed assassins also feature including Manson Family member Lynette 'Squeaky" Fromme (Belle Nicol), Sara Jane Moore (Tracy Noble), Guiseppe Zangara (Joel Hutchings), John Hinckley Jr. (Will Collett) and Samuel Byck (Jim Adamik) They are the deluded masters of their fate.

Together the actors create a formidable ensemble, lending every moment of this production zest, humour and provocative insight into motive and grievance.

Under the inspired direction of Kelly Roberts and Grant Pegg, this outstanding production of Assassins has an off-Broadway feel. It's intimate, thoroughly engaging and challenges audiences to confront the issues, judge the motives and consider solutions to America's dark legacy of political assassination and gun crime.

Sondheim challenges musicians, actors and audience alike and sharpshooting Everyman Theatre comes out with guns blazing in the finest production of Assassins that you are likely to see by such an excellent local company.

This is a rare opportunity for Sondheim aficionados and people who care to witness a master's work performed by a company capable of scaling the heights of Sondheim's musical complexities, captivating ballads, and stirring ensemble numbers.

Assassins attests that all we learn from history is that we never learn from history, and yet this production plays its part in reminding us we must never let this happen.