★★★☆☆The soccer stimulus over, the BREXIT debate rumbling eternally on: I’d love to distil a little feel-bad atmosphere with another rapturous review of Sam Kenyon’s musical about titan of theatre, director Joan Littlewood. Sadly – and it’s hard to take a minority view, it left me more exasperated than enlightened.

★★★☆☆ Shakespeare’s play with its eternal insights into romantic love amidst feuding gangs resonates with modern youth, and transfers successfully to a current day setting. Just substitute knives for rapiers. And nobody mention the existence of that inconvenient plot-busting device, the mobile phone.

★★★★☆ In 1700 London money is one thing, social status another. Mrs Rich, widow of a merchant banker has a massive fortune and a gilt coach with dappled white horses. What she can’t buy is the approval of the self-selected upper circle of the upper class. And that is all she craves . . .

Webster’s revenger tragedy of 1623 outscores any cult movie for horror: with its enormous body count, cruel debasement of women, and mental torture that takes your breath away. It also rates highly for poetic imagery and profound observation.