A sophisticated piece of psychological dance theatre performed with real excellence.

Hugely entertaining and superbly performed, this piece thoughtfully and poetically translates universal themes into the visual language of contemporary circus.

Pros: The topic, the text, the direction, the acting, the sound and lighting. Everything in this production is a delight. Cons: There was a bit of noise coming from the adjacent rooms. Laughter and tears chase each other in this intimate drama written and performed by the brilliant Nicola Wren. With a good dose of humour, she gives a potent account of her character’s experience as a female police officer and her struggle to come to terms with her brother’s tragic passing. ...

Two self-aware murder mysteries crammed with puns and clever dialogue. A must for fans of Agatha Christie, P.G. Wodehouse and Dorothy L. Sayers.

Pros: Excellent songs, use of sound clips and lights make this play stand out. Kane Power is a confident performer who balances the light and shade of the piece. Cons: As the volume is turned up to 11, the lights are flashing and Kane’s mother leaves upsetting voicemail messages, sensitive viewers may struggle to watch. Early on in Mental, there’s a disclosure from the man behind it: ‘This show will fail – how can I capture my mum’s experience?’. Kane ...

A riotously fun crowd-pleaser which wraps glitter and fluff around an intelligent and utterly convincing message.

An admirable OCD awareness agenda and an enthusiastic team is hampered by a guest acting challenge and a patchy story.

Pros: A perfectly executed adaptation of Graham Greene’s novel, with endlessly inventive choreography and the best use of a vacuum cleaner you’ll ever see on stage. Cons: None – it’s a solid all-rounder. Have you ever seen a vacuum cleaner become a coat stand, a bar, a phone and a dog? All these are possible, and many more transformations too, in Our Man in Havana, by Spies Like Us. Here, the household prop, which is sold by a vacuum salesman ...

Pros: Quirky characterisation of four daters, and fair scrutiny of the modern dating scene. Cons: Audience numbers and logistics affect the speed dating process, which feels slightly disjointed from the plays. The Finnish connection isn’t obvious, either. This show belongs to the Start to Finnish events programme, celebrating Finland’s culture in honour of 100 years of Finnish independence. However, it’s hard to see traces of Finland in the script of these two interconnected plays, except in references to one character’s love ...

Affecting and lyrical story of families existing in the wake of a loved one’s disappearance.