I don't know why, but having your hero ride around the stage on a child's tricycle undermines his tragic stature. Of course, the eponymous hero of Georg Buchner's 1837 proto-expressionist masterpiece was a new kind of tragic figure - a low-born proletarian underdog; an exemplar of diminished, clownish humanity. So perhaps the kid's bike is appropriate after all.
Daniel Kramer's production shows considerable visual flair: scenes of production-line cleaning, balletic violence and testosteronefuelled formation dancing are performed to a soundtrack of Elvis and Dolly Parton.
Little or none of this highly diverting activity was exactly stipulated by the author, but Woyzeck, which shows the poor soldier of the title driven to madness and murder by his social surroundings, has always called forth auteuresque invention from those who have staged it.
It's not entirely clear what point is being made by the extensive use of 'redneck' music - some supersubtle allusion to Dubya's army perhaps - but in the early scenes Edward Hogg's Northern-accented Woyzeck is closer to George Formby than the hip-swinging King.
Outstanding here is Tony Guilfoyle as the Latinspouting doctor who does a Quentin Crisp-like drag queen turn - and, no, I don't think that was in the original either.
Until Dec 4, Gate Theatre, 11 Pembridge Road W11, Mon to Sat 7.30pm, £14, £7 concs. Tel: 020 7229 0706. Tube: Notting Hill Gate
Woyzeck
