A Matter of Life or Death - TNT

Fans of Powell and Pressburger's 1946 movie might quibble, but I found Kneehigh's idiosyncratic, anti-war version (directed by co-adapter Emma Rice) totally beguiling. WWII RAF pilot Peter Carter is shot down without a parachute, but just before he jumps he makes contact with (and falls for) radio operator June. Amazingly, he survives what should have been a fatal plunge to earth — and meets her when he lands. But there's been a mistake — his guide to heaven lost him in the fog and what follows is a dream-like tug of life between the heavenly forces which need to balance their books, and his newfound sweetheart who can't bear to let him go. It's a whimsical idea in which Douglas Hodge's kindly doctor (enlisted by June to save her beloved) and a balletic ping-pong match set to music are just two of the many highlights.
Lyttelton at the National, South Bank, SE1, 020-7452 3000. Until June 21. Part of the £10 Travelex season