THE team at the Mercury Theatre should take a bow.

Today, we unveil a sneak preview of the inside of the huge tent which has been set up at Abbey Field in Colchester to show productions while the permanent theatre undergoes a makeover.

And while there is still work to do, it already looks fantastic.

The Mercury Theatre was pushed into a bit of a corner faced with the challenge of what to do while work is underway on the £9 million revamp of its site in Balkerne Gardens.

But they are creative people and have managed not only to come up with answer but to turn a negative situation into a real positive.

It seems unkind to call this impressive venue a tent - far too humble.

Rather it is eye-catching, almost magical, with the wonderful lights display combined with the romance of a big top.

It should provide a memorable venue for this year’s productions and we would not be surprised if audiences buy up tickets not just for the shows but to share a bit of Mercury history too.

Sadly, the country has been stuck on pause due to the uncertainty generated by Brexit, paralysed by indecision and suffocated by interminable arguments over when and how to leave the EU.

So how refreshing it is to see the Mercury crews tackle a problem with such deft elegance.

They have achieved something truly magical which might well be just an appetiser for the newly-revamped theatre.

There is only one more thing to say...let the show begin!