At last, some wonderful theatre to report on.  I really hated the last couple of things I've seen (Now or Later at the Royal Court, which felt like an A-Level exam, and Kicking A Dead Horse at the Almeida, which made 70 minutes feel like an eternity), but at last, something excellent to report.

I was worried that the Donmar on the West End season could easily have been a bust of good intentions and over-acting, but Ivanov with Kenneth Branagh was something of a miracle last night:  funny and fast and unexpectedly moving.  Every actor delivered and it was extremely well-directed, with serious energy and pace.  All the laughter made the pain even more surprising, and the ending packs a wallop.

Kenneth Branagh is never even hammy, and the one part where he might be is skilfully re-interpreted by Tom Stoppard as a comedy piece for another actor to complain how overwrought he's being.  Great stuff.  Go see it, seriously.