THEATRE: CURTAIN CALLS

Cyrano de Bergerac

What's all this? Leather- jacketed bovver boys and the Mother Superior reading the Racing Post? Edwin Morgan's translation turns the Gallic love classic into gritty, yet supple, Glaswegian and ends up with an exhilarating mix of Irn Bru and champagne. Tom Mannion's superlative tragi- comic performance is deeply moving.

Almeida, London N1 (0171-359 4404), last week,

John Gabriel Borkman

Will someone please explain to me why there are (some) tickets available for Richard Eyre's sharp production of this Ibsen drama when it affords you the opportunity of seeing Vanessa Redgrave battling it out with Eileen Atkins for the soul of Paul Scofield?

National Theatre (0171-928 2252), in rep

The Comedy of Errors

"Twins in Nightmare Double Baby Swap Shock!" Unlike those Shakespeare comedy productions full of crass crotch-grabbing to underline the jokes, or those stultifyingly unfunny "intelligent rethinks", Tim Supple's outstanding RSC production is chock full of

insight and hilarious with it.

Kendal Leisure Centre (01539 729702) tonight; Queen's Theatre, Belfast (01232 665577) Tue-Sat

The Herbal Bed

Peter Whelan's cunning tale of Shakespeare's daughter Susanna who becomes embedded in herbalism and stands accused of bedding Rafe, a hunky haberdasher. A cross between a love story and a courtroom drama, Stephen Boxer steals the show with a knockout performance as a terrifying puritan.

In rep, RSC The Pit, London EC2 (0171-638 8891)

Swan Lake

This is, without doubt, the sexiest, most dangerous, most theatrical thriller in town. A magnificent combination of drama, dance, lighting and design. The fact that Riverdance sells out and this doesn't is nothing short of a scandal. Give someone a treat and take them. Now.

Piccadilly Theatre, London (0171-369 1734)

Mrs Warren's Profession

The powerful Maggie Steed leads an unusually strong cast in Shaw's shocker (banned for years) about mothers, money and morals. Neil Bartlett's sharp revival is updated to the 1920s and features an astringent, highly evocative design by Rae Smith.

Lyric Hammersmith, London W6 (0181-741 2311)