Sweet William - TNT

Michael Pennington first fell under the spell of Shakespeare's words as an unwilling 11-year-old, dragged along by his parents to see a production of Macbeth. Now, it's almost time for him to collect his pension, but his enthusiasm remains undiminished. In a little over two hours, and with only a chair and a blood-red handkerchief to keep him company on an otherwise bare stage, his perceptive one-man show gives a glimpse of what has fired this lifelong passion.By his own reckoning, Pennington has devoted more than 20,000 hours to either rehearsing or acting in the Bard's plays, not to mention writing several books about them. So he's doubly well qualified to take an audience on a guided tour through the elusive life of the man who was born and died in Stratford upon Avon, but, in the interim, frequently disappeared off the historical map.Apart from his intelligence and analytical insights, it's Pennington's mellifluous voice and relaxed delivery which make the evening such a success. Whether he's suggesting what Shakespeare was really up to during those missing years, or slipping into actor mode to deliver less familiar snippets from his works, his ongoing love affair with England's greatest dramatist is a treat for anyone wanting to delve just a little deeper into what lies behind the text.
Trafalgar Studios (2), Whitehall, SW1 (0870-060 6632). Until February 16. £27.50