To Kill A Mockingbird: Heartbreakingly good theatre show is more relevant than ever

This might not be the most famous scene in To Kill A Mockingbird but there has, perhaps, never been a time when a historical tale feels so tragically relevant.

Described as 'a story that transcends', the portrayal of racism cuts through today's hidden hated and fake appearances. It is brutal, raw and heartbreakingly simple.

This is the story of an innocent black man on trial for raping a white woman in an era where the KKK was around every corner. It is revealed through the eyes of children as well as the man who faces direct danger by choosing to represent him legally.

Don't underestimate the huge impact this production will have on you. It is rare to see the baddies greeted with boos when they take their final bow, unless you are at panto, but the power of these characters is such that this is exactly what happened. This was not a complaint about bad acting but the exact opposite.

Nothing about Harper Lee's epic tale is easy but there were plenty of light-hearted moments along the way. Sometimes, I wasn't clear if the crowd was laughing in humour or uncontrollably bitter irony as the waves of hate swept from the stage.

This is a new play by Aaron Sorkin but it stays loyal to the original throughout. Richard Coyle is the perfect Atticus Finch while Anna Munden often steals the show with her wonderful portrayal of Scout.

The narration through the children's eyes brings much-needed brevity at just the right moments.

To Kill A Mockingbird is at Sheffield's Lyceum Theatre until Saturday. It is a story that we should be able to consign to history yet feels as if it could have been written yesterday about tomorrow. The failures of humans and their kindness in the face of evil are never far away regardless of the decade.

"Remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird."