Theatre: The Five Best Plays In London

1

Troilus and Cressida Olivier Theatre

This theatre and this Shakespeare play are made for each other, a fact proved, somewhat belatedly, by the masterly sweep of Trevor Nunn's gifted production. To 9 May

2

Good Donmar Warehouse

Starring Charles Dance, C P Taylor's play about accommodations with conscience is revived in an immaculate and sensitive production by Michael Grandage. See review, left. To 22 May

3

Gross Indecency Gielgud Theatre

The artfully fractured form of Moises Kaufman's compelling play about Oscar Wilde presents the writer - man and symbol - in all his complex contradictoriness. See review, left. Booking to 5 Jun

4

Shockheaded Peter Lyric Hammersmith

The deliciously sinister Struwwelpeter stories meet the macabre Tiger Lillies in a glorious, gorgeously gory evening of music theatre. To 0 Apr

5

Copenhagen Duchess Theatre

Michael Frayn's profound and haunting meditation on science, morality and the mysteries of human motivation. To 7 Aug

... AND BEYOND

The Late Middle Classes Palace Theatre, Watford

Simon Gray excels in this funny-sad play about a young boy caught between two types of oppressive love in Fifties England. See review, left. To 0 April

2

A Midsummer Night's Dream Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford

In Michael Boyd's beguiling staging, Josette Simon's Amazonian Titania is sex-on-very-long-legs and could devour Tina Turner for breakfast. To 9 Oct

3

Volpone Swan Theatre, Stratford

Guy Henry's brilliant Mosca comically dominates Lindsay Posner's intelligent and incisive production of Ben Jonson's great dissection of overreaching egotism and greed. See review, left. To 9 Oct

4

The Weir Everyman, Liverpool

Subtly strung-together ghost stories pack a surprising punch in Conor McPherson's marvellously unfashionable, gentle play. To 0 April

5

Junk His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen

Trainspotting for adolescents. John Retallack's inventive stage adaptation of the Melvin Burgess novel packs a strong cautionary punch without ever being pious or condescending. 6-0 April