A Midsummer Night's Dream - TNT
2nd April 2007

Tim Supple's vibrant touring Indian production puts the physical before the verbal in an exuberant multilingual version of Shakespeare's famous comedy,with words taking a poor second place to sheer passion and colourful design.There are some inspired moments — Titania wound into a cocoon of brilliant red; Joy Fernandes' excellent Bottom, turned amorous ass with enormous ears and butternut squash appendage; acrobatic fairies tearing through a vast paper backdrop. With its mix of English, Hindi, Tamil and half a dozen other languages, you may find yourself floundering if you don't know the story, but it's a sexy, sensual feast for the eye and — on a visceral level at least — an unqualified success.
Roundhouse, Chalk Farm Road NW1, 0870-389 1846, Until 21st April

Leaves - TNT
2nd April 2007

Lucy Caldwell won the 2006 George Devine Award for this sensitive play about a Belfast teenager coming back home after attempting to commit suicide during her first term as a London university student. On the eve of her return, only her youngest sister Poppy (not quite 12 and delightfully played by Daisy Maguire) seems excited about her imminent arrival. Caldwell successfully captures the nervous apprehensiveness of her parents and middle sister who realise that things can never be quite as they were, and have to find ways of coping with a newly fragile Lori. Francis O'Connor's prettily dreamlike set suggests the protective atmosphere of a happy childhood (despite the city's troubles) and although the cause of Lori's near-fatal depression is never fully explained, this is a promising debut from a thoughtful new writer. Royal Court Theatre Upstairs, Sloane Square, SW1, Call 020-7565 5000. Until 7th April

Louise Kingsley