... The Dragon Courtyard Originally written by Soviet dramatist Yevgeny Schwartz in the mid- forties, the English translation of this biting allegory was last seen in Britain over a decade ago. But, on the strength of this effort by Velvet Jacket, we are still waiting for a Droduction which does the material full justice. Schwartz's play is potent stuff when placed in the context of modem-day ...

... My Cousin Rachel Keswick An outstanding production of Diana Morgan's adaptation of Daphne du Maurier's classic completes the trilogy of plays being staged in the main house during the first full summer season at the Theatre by the Lake. Excellently directed by Ian Forrest, suspicion, suspense and obsessional love all play their part in this romantic costume drama, set in mid-19th century ...

... Don Quixote Lancaster Last year's Dukes Theatre promenade presentation of The Hound of the Baskervilles brought with it Dartmoor-like weather conditions which is perhaps why this year it has downsized its title to a walkabout production and would have us believe the Edwardian splendour of Williamson Park is, in fact, sunny 17th century Spain. Dramatist Les Smith and Dukes artistic ...

... Ein Maskenball Bregenz Imagine a huge skeleton rising from the waters of an inland sea, its right hand holding open a vast book, its left resting on its flat surface. Across the open pages are printed footmarks setting out the steps of a dance of death. The stunning setting for Verdi's Masked Ball is just the first of a series of darkly unsettling occurrences which make the Richard ...

... Pericles Lincoln's Inn In performance, this seems like a Cook's tour of Asia Minor, interrupted by one shipwreck after another, until we get to the emotional family reunion in Ephesus. But Gregory Thompson, who directs a livery and versatile AandBC company, rejects the received view that Shakespeare penned only the better bits. The wettest night of the al fresco season (so far) drenched ...

... age sex loc@tion Lyric Studio, Hammersmith The National Youth Theatre continues its tradition of collaborative productions, devised by a director and developed through improvisation. Last year it packed a mini-musical inside a London tube train. This year broadcaster Paul Roseby makes his directing debut with an impudent satire on Internet millionaires and chat- rooms where lonely geeks ...

... From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads Camden People's Theatre Apparently the title of this play, a lyric from David Bowie's Life on Mars, was conceived before the plot. That might explain why it bears little particular relevance to the action. Because this is a standard, albeit tragic, tale of family dysfunction and chippy adolescence dressed up with some nifty rock'n'roll interludes. Martin is ...

... Loot Exeter It is good to see director Martin Harvey and actor Mike Bums back at the Northcott. The two had collaborated on some memorable farce productions a few years back, but they have grabbed a tiger's tail with Joe Orton's Loot. Orton insisted that Loot was not a farce, and yet there is no other way to play it. This means that it is played straight, ostensibly ignoring the comic ...

... In the Dark Air of a Closed Room Dublin This is not a production for the faint-hearted. It is an intense and heavy exploration of emotional truth by an exceptionally brave and searching young theatre company-Loose Canon. Using the tortured spirit of Caravaggio and the imagery of his paintings as inspiration, the four actors present a balletic series of isolated and silent tableaux that grip ...

... A winning Faure into the classics Edinburgh International Festival: Edinburgh Festival Theatre Faure's Opera--Penelope Gabriel Faure's opera based on the Homeric story of Ulysses and Penelope- premiered at Monte Carlo in 1913, but rarely staged since-was given a highly successful one-off concert performance (in the original French) for this festival revival. Devised as a three-act lyric poem ...

... Big Value Comedy Show Late! Cafe Royal The festival award for Best Use of Eyeliner really has to go to headliner Glenn Wool. Not that his eyes need definition. Wool has a 30-yard stare that seems to look into another dimension entirely. The cowboy-hatted Canadian was preceded by Mickey Flanagan and Sally Holloway in a tight and enjoyable twohour show compered by the sparky Greg Bums. ...

... Post-Apocalyptica Roman Eagle Lodge The natures of desire and lust are the topics for discussion proposed by writer and performer Ami Morrey in this far too slight and poorly delivered piece. She stands in the middle of a bare stage, clad kinkiry in corsets and crinolines, and delivers the sort of monologue which is almost destined to fail. Morrey plays a whore whose punter wants talk, an ...