The Vortex - TNT

Written at the beginning of his career, Noel Coward's controversial 1924 exposé of questionable morals and drug dependence made his reputation. Its main shock value nowadays lies in the extreme callousness the characters reveal as they indulge in their privileged, frivolous lifestyles. Felicity Kendal's adulterous socialite Florence (flitting from one selfish pleasure to another in a doomed attempt to hold back the years) impresses in the final showdown with her effete son Nicky (the same age as her latest officer toyboy and just back from Paris where he's picked up both a cocaine habit and, surprisingly, a fiancée). Phoebe Nicholls adds an extra layer of unacknowledged lesbian devotion as her best friend Helen who isn't afraid to speak the truth.
Apollo Shaftesbury Ave, W1 (0870-040 0080). Until June 7. £15-£45