Theatre review: The Score

Actor Brian Cox has described J.S. Bach as a "forgotten composer," although given it's only a few years since SSRB played him at the Bridge and now it's Cox's turn in the West End I'd argue London theatre at least remembers him. In Oliver Cotton's The Score, the 62-year-old Bach is respected but largely sidelined in a comparatively lowly position of his own choosing: A very religious man, he composes choral work for all the churches in his adopted home of Leipzig, grumbling his way through the demands for a new piece every week. In recent years the city has suffered the effects of war, as Frederick II's expansionist policies have left behind an army demanding to be housed. Their drills and manoeuvres disrupt everyone at all hours, before we even get to the drunken, violent and dangerous night-time behaviour of the traumatised soldiers.

Theatre review: The Weir

The Donmar Warehouse is more or less being handed over to Conor McPherson for the summer, with the premiere of his new play coming up but first Josie Rourke's revival of the play often called his masterpiece, The Weir. We're in a remote part of Ireland in 1997, where Brendan (Big Favourite Round These Parts Peter McDonald) runs a tiny pub. In a couple of weeks' time it'll be overrun with German backpackers but for the time being Brendan's entire clientele are Jack (Brian Cox) and Jim (Ardal O'Hanlon,) the village's other two resident bachelors. With no wives or children the three have little to do every evening but get drunk together but tonight they have company: Local businessman Finbar (Risteárd Cooper) has been showing around a newcomer to the area, and his tour ends at Brendan's pub. When the attractive Valerie (Dervla Kirwan) arrives, the four men soon launch into colourful local tales to impress her.