In the season for ghoulies and ghosties and things that go bump in the night, English Touring Opera’s production of The Tales of Hoffmann brings out the fantastical and supernatural in Offenbach’s Gothic opera.

Set by director James Bonas in the era of silent movies, it revels in the clichés of the form, not least the sepulchral baddie emerging from a coffin-like cupboard or his shadow looming large over the action.

Warwick Fyfe steals the show as Lindorf / Coppélius / Dr Miracle / Dappertutto, in black with chalk-white face. Arriving at inconvenient moments in inconvenient ways, he haunts the eponymous Hoffmann (Sam Furness). Furness, drunk or distraught or both at once – turns in a performance of an innocent abroad, however broad his experience.

The Tales are Hoffmann’s back catalogue of movies. Olympia – the automaton who was his first love – is a pink LED puppet, one of whose manipulators is her voice (Ilona Domnich). Olympia’s athletic achievements are impressive, reaching ever higher in search of the elusive top note. As the broken puppet is removed, Hoffmann and his Muse, (Louise Mott) disguised as his Fat Boy companion, are pelted with eyes from all sides. The Fat Boy always has a lollipop in his mouth and seeks out food

The limping collaborator of Olympia’s creator retains the limp for the deaf servant Frantz (Matt R J Ward) in the household of Crespel (Adam Tunnicliffe), father of Hoffman’s second love, Antonia. Ward’s delivery of his vainglorious song and dance routine could not be bettered – even with the coaching he claims would improve his performance.

Domnich’s Antonia, loving to sing, but forbidden by her father lest it be her death, is by turn wistful and ecstatic. Fyfe’s high-stepping stomp round Crespel and Hoffmann, as threatening Dr Miracle, is scarily funny.

As Hoffmann’s third love, Giulietta, Domnich duets in the Barcarolle with Hoffmann’s Muse. The two voices conjure a sensual atmosphere for the Venetian soiree, where Hoffmann challenges Schlémil (Ashley Mercer in burgundy shorts, green shirt and top boots) for Giulietta.

But Dappertutto has asked Giulietta to steal Hoffmann’s reflection using a big mirror – other party-goers admire their own reflections in hand-mirrors. With Schlémil dead, Giulietta leaves with Dappertutto and the scene merges back to Hoffmann re-running his back catalogue. His Muse points out that all three are Stella.

Words matter in Jeff Clarke’s English version of Jules Barbier’s libretto, and with so much happening on stage, the enunciation is good enough not to need the side-titles too much. The small, eleven-piece band conducted by Philip Sunderland creates a sound bigger than the sum of its parts.

Overall, it’s a good production which entertains and amuses while still delivering Offenbach’s enchanting music.