Alaska - TNT

This is a violent, twisted, unpleasant little play about a violent, twisted and brutally racist individual with a massive chip on his shoulder and a lying heart. It's young writer DC Moore's first work for the stage and (though promising) it shows — the dialogue doesn't quite ring true and it's difficult to see why university drop-out Frank (having been socially rejected by his fellow students) becomes the focus of so much sexual interest when he takes a dead-end job at the local cinema. As Frank, Rafe Spall bursts convincingly into viciously uncontrollable rage when he feels undermined. And there's a lovely understated performance from Thomas Morrison as the lovelorn Chris who, like the rest of his workmates, inexplicably finds this damaged, damaging and confused bigot irresistibly attractive.
Royal Court Theatre Upstairs, Sloane Sq, SW1, 020-7565 5000. Until June 23

LOUISE KINGSLEY