David Grindley's production is possessed of a quiet, steely dignity that makes it impossible to leave without feeling newly shocked at the terrible waste of men at war.

One of the best and bravest decisions that Nicholas Hytner has made as head of the National Theatre is to give director Katie Mitchell free rein.

Though this has acquired the status of a modern classic, Martin McDonagh’s play is a black and bilious satirical assault on the very idea of an Irish classic play.

Katie Mitchell’s staging of Thomas Heywood’s rarely revived Elizabethan tragedy, static and over-busy, robs something of the script.

While retaining the blood and veins of the story, the musical-theatre version of Ghost brings with it impressive special effects and a serviceable score.

This ambitious enterprise from Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman has been trying to find the right pitch for its song for more than a decade. 

Although classic screen musicals such as this can never be satisfactorily made for the stage, this production is not without its highlights.

After a half century away from the stage, Chicken Soup comes storming back to rage against fascism.