THERE'S a chill wind blowing through The Theatre Royal, Windsor, this week.

Spring may finally have arrived outside but on stage winter still retains its icy grip.

In an inspired and ambitious production of classic medieval murder mystery The Virgin In The Ice, audiences are transported back to the harsh winter of 1139, when civil war ripped through the heart of Britain, with packs of vicious marauders wiping out whole rural communities. 

It's a world stage premiere and marks the centenary of the birth of writer Ellis Peters, whose Cadfael novels have sold in their millions and spawned a hugely-popular TV series in the nineties, starring Derek Jacobi.

The production also celebrates an important milestone for the Middle Ground Theatre Company, which was founded 25 years ago.

In The Virgin In The Ice, veteran actor Gareth Thomas, as Brother Cadfael, unrecognisable from his days in the lead role of cult sci-fi television classic Blake's 7, leads a large cast of 15. Their combined on-stage talents are enhanced by the wonderful efforts of the backstage crew, who manage to make sure the live action and filmed sequences intertwine seamlessly, amid the realistic sets and lurid sound effects.

Among the other well-known faces in the production are Richard Walsh (London’s Burning), James Palmer (River City) and Rupert Baker (London’s Burning).

The action revolves around worldly-wise Benedictine Brother Cadfael's efforts to track down two lost youngsters and the nun accompanying them, who have fled into the snow to escape an attack on Worcester.

It's an intricate and elaborate tale and, to be honest, is sometimes as tricky to follow as wintry footsteps obscured by a fresh fall of snow. Things are not helped by the actors' voices occasionally being drowned out by the ever-increasing howl of the medieval gales.