Chariots of Fire

Valerie Passmore (20May12): This is a wonderfully imaginative and moving production. The theatre has been refigured as a stadium, with actors running around a circular stage, a revolve and often around the whole auditorium. Far from being simply a straight play, it involves instrumental music (including brief references to the famous film music, not overdone), singing, mime, slow motion and tightly choreographed movement. Most of the large cast playing the athletes won't have been born when the film on which it is based was made. And a very fit cast they must be, from the pre-start exercising, plentiful running and energetic finale. And that's before we get to the acting: the principals, notably Jack Lowden as Ian Liddell, are excellent. With such a large cast it is hard to differentiate those in smaller parts, but the general high level of performance and slickness of scene and costume changes and numbers of actors working in confined spaces is highly professional and speaks of thorough rehearsal. Particularly effective is the su