ARTS of excellence! This outstanding collaboration between the Arts University College at Bournemouth and Kokoro BSO New Music Ensemble showcased work of the highest quality from students of AUCB under their director Doug Cockle.

Mark Forkgen, Kokoro’s knowledgeable conductor, introduced the cerebral, polyrhythmic music and students’ finely filmed documentary of rehearsals that included performers’ views and archive clips of The Great War.

Music by Stravinsky, text by CF Ramuz. This was taken from Russian folktales on the soldier and the devil collected by Afanasiev.

All the disciplines of performing arts were represented; from the simple, yet readily workable set, through to the contemporaneous, carefully crafted costumes including military uniforms worn by Kokoro’s superb players.

The story-line, at its most basic, concerns the fortunes of a soldier, rolled-out in great style by Josh Powell-Jenkins, on 10 days’ leave. He is met by the Devil, wickedly portrayed by Rhiannon Spencer, who tempts him to exchange his violin for a book of money-making magic.

The spotlight, however, was seldom far from John MacDonald, whose inspired account and perfect timing as narrator lit up the whole theatre. Towards the conclusion Rachel O’Hare danced and twirled with a graceful, seductive charm as the Princess.

And the moral of the story? You can’t have it all. Well, I think we did!