Choice: Theatre

Playhouse Creatures, Old Vic, London SE1 (0171-928 7651) 7.30pm

Anyone out there remember Alan Bennett's exquisitely funny social- climbing comedy A Private Function? The glorious Liz Smith simply shone as the batty mother, and she does the same thing here. April de Angelis's intriguing, witty play is the backstage/onstage drama about the arrival of women on stage, a seismic event which only happened in 1660. Smith almost steals the show as the dresser-cum-drudge, droll Doll Common. Sheila Gish (above) is also tremendous as a thoroughly grande dame dispensing acting technique, wages and compassion in equal measure.