The Events, Mercury Studio Theatre, Colchester. Until June 17. 01206 573948.

WITH recent events, this play by Scottish playwright David Greig, is perhaps more pertinent than ever.

But as someone said after the performance, unfortunately we live in a world where it will perhaps remain relevant for a long time.

The Events refers to an atrocity - the murder of a community choir by a lone gunman - but is actually about how the survivor of the attack, the choir's leader, Claire, deals with the aftermath.

It's a journey which I suspect is different for each victim but in Claire's case covers the gamut of human emotion from anger and revenge, to sorrow and despair, even at one stage humour and laughter.

All of that aside her over-riding motive, and a large part of Greig's narrative, is Claire trying to find out why.

She seeks out a politician with far right views, the murderer's father, a friend from his school in an attempt to delve into the psyche of The Boy but it only makes matters worse.

And that's because, as she eventually realises, events like Manchester and London, and in Greig's case, the murder of a community choir, cannot be explained. May be even, should not be explained. Good people don't want to make sense of man's inhumanity to man and occasionally there is no answer. Sometimes, as The Boy himself says, 'shit happens'.

It's a super piece of thought-provoking writing. Visceral, yes, but also funny and very human.

But what makes this particular production of Greig's play outstanding are the beautiful touches director Dan Sherer has brought to it.

For a start he's introduced a wonderful community choir, made-up of local performers and expertly led by actor Scott Gray, who become the heart and soul of the whole thing.

Then he's cast two of the best actors I've ever seen on a Mercury stage. The brilliant Josh Collins, last seen here in Dan's Bully Boy in 2015. He was great then, he's sublime in this. Utterly chilling as the killer but also chameleonic playing all the other people Claire meets on her journey. And of course Claire herself, a totally captivating and selfless performance by Anna O'Grady. When she takes that bow, you know she's given us everything. Her heart, her soul, like a prize fighter, it's all been left on that stage.

And this is all before I've got to the clever set by James Cotterill, with another nod to artist Cornelia Parker, some great use of lighting by Matt Leventhall, especially in the casting of the shadows during the exquisite pieces of movement courtesy of Nancy Kettle.

A tough subject, sensitively staged. Stunning theatre at its best.

NEIL D'ARCY-JONES