Don Antonio Barracano is a Godfather with a difference.

He commands respect, fear in some cases, knows how to manipulate people in authority, understands the power of brown envelopes; in short everything you would expect from a Sicilian Don.

Except he is a force for good. Ian McKellen creates a mesmeric figure, father of a happy family, an elder statesman, but with a dangerous edge.

He¹s far from squeaky clean, as a pivotal scene later reveals. But he has a vision of a better world, in Eduardo De Filippo¹s darkly humorous drama.

The role he in which he has cast himself is that of judge and jury, dispensing rough justice in petty disputes, keeping the peace, and preventing unnecessary bloodshed in a volatile society.

McKellen presents a man in total control of his environment and clearly relishes the complex role.

Alongside him as his friend, and almost prisoner, of 35 years is Michael Pennington, sympathetic yet frustrated as Doctor Fabio Della Ragione.

Pennington shows us a man at odds with his conscience.

Jane Bertish, as the family¹s housekeeper on their country estate outside Naples ­ created from the proceeds of Don Antonio¹s previous life ­ doesn¹t have much dialogue but she is a constant reassuring presence.

Cherie Lunghi is the Don¹s beautiful wife. She has been seriously attacked by one of his guard dogs. He defends the dog suggesting it was protecting the hens from which his wife was collecting eggs.

Such is De Filippo¹s humour.

There are strong performances from Oliver Cotton and Gavin Fowler as a warring father and son whose bitter dispute is to have explosive consequences for the would­be peacemaker.

Although the dramatic concept is very Italian, the key theme of family relationships translates into any culture.

This first offering of the new season remains at Bath until Saturday.