THEATRE / Critic's Choice

Dead Funny

Terry Johnson's exploration of humour and sexual repression has tension as well as bite. The consumers' end counterpart to Trevor Griffiths' Comedians, it features Zoe Wannamaker as the dissenting wife who has to live with a comedy buff (David Haig), and his assorted chums (Niall Buggy, Danny Webb). Vaudeville, WC2

Ghosts

Katie Mitchell's production ranks with the best of recent versions of Ibsen, with masterly performances from Jane Lapotaire as Mrs Alving, Simon Russell Beale and John Carlisle. Barbican Pit, EC2

Hamlet

Julia Bardsley's deconstruction of Shakespeare uses puppets to investigate themes of illusion and pretence. Confuses and intrigues like a troubled dream, but keeps you enthralled to the end. Young Vic, SE1