THEATRE: THE FIVE BEST PLAYS IN LONDON

1

Antigone (Old Vic)

Sophocles' great tragedy gets a superbly trenchant and objective staging from Declan Donnellan and a performance of enormous complexity from Jonathan Hyde. To 8 Jan 2000

2

Marathon (Gate Theatre)

Edoardo Erba's very funny play, about two young men in training for the New York marathon, resonates powerfully on both the realistic and metaphoric levels. A beautifully judged production by Mick Gordon. To Dec

3

Spend, Spend, Spend (Piccadilly Theatre)

This utterly irresistible new musical captures the tough, impudent survivor spirit of Viv Nicholson, the Yorkshire housewife who won - and blew - a Pools fortune. To 26 Feb 2000

4

Comic Potential (Lyric Theatre)

In Alan Ayckbourn's futuristic twist to the Pygmalion myth, Janie Dee gives a funny and touching performance as an android caught between circuitry and humanity. To 8 Apr 2000

5

Peggy for You (Hampstead Theatre)

Alan Plater's very witty play about the legendary theatrical agent, Peggy Ramsay. Great one-liners and much food for thought about drama and dramatists. To 5 Jan 2000