This show left me gasping as just eight actors, playing 125 different characters – and one elephant – circumnavigated Jules Verne’s world in a laugh-a-mile 130 minutes.

They did it with an intoxicating blend of ingenuity and imagination, extracting maximum effect from minimal props and costumes.

Around The World in 80 Days, Theatre Royal, Nottingham

It is quite amazing what can be achieved with a few luggage trunks, wooden fencing and bits of coloured material … a storm at sea … a train thundering across the American west … a sail-powered sledge skating over the frozen wastes.

They all feature in this masterful adaptation of the classic Victorian novel which follows the adventures of a proper English gentleman named Phineas Fogg and his engaging French valet Passepartout as they attempt to circle the globe in exactly 80 days to win a bet laid in London’s aristocratic Reform Club.

Around The World in 80 Days, Theatre Royal, Nottingham

Armed with his copy of Bradshaw’s celebrated travel guide but alas no Michael Portillo -it all sounds simple enough, as long as everything goes with the mathematical precision which rules Fogg’s life. But things are never that simple.

Natural disasters, squabbles in far off places, and the intervention of bumbling detective Inspector Fix, who mistakes Fogg for a bank robber, all contrive to knock our hero from his schedule and his attempt to collect a £20,000 bet.

Around The World in 80 Days, Theatre Royal, Nottingham

Andrew Pollard dons the frock coat of Phineas Fogg with considerable aplomb, maintaining a stiff upper lip while chaos surrounds him. He leaves the scraps and scrapes to his loyal sidekick Passepartout, brilliantly portrayed by Michael Hugo with all the skills of actor, clown and acrobat.

Those two stick to their characters while the other six race on and off stage in a variety of guises from the sand shufflers of old Egypt to Bollywood dancers, and wild west gunslingers.

The energy and talent displayed by Matthew Ganley, Joey Parsad, Pushpinder Chani and Simi Egbejumi-David bind the narrative together, allowing Dennis Herdman to shine as a fine and funny Inspector Fix, and Kirsten Foster to impress as Mrs Aouda, rescued by Fogg from a sticky end to become the play’s love interest.

Around The World in 80 Days, Theatre Royal, Nottingham

The script is tight and witty, the choreography, particularly in the fight scenes, is innovative, cleverly exploiting elements of silent movie slapstick, and the score evokes images of the route our intrepid duo take to reach their goal.

Around The World in 80 Days, Theatre Royal, Nottingham

Do they make it in time? Well, if you haven’t read the book, or seen the films, get along to the Theatre Royal and find out for yourselves. It is a journey you will not regret.

Around The World In 80 Days, Theatre Royal, Nottingham, Tuesday to Saturday, July 11 to 15, 7pm, mats Thursday 1.30pm and Saturday 2.30pm, £12.50 to £27.50 (discounts available), 0115 989 5555, trch.co.uk.