50 Ways to Leave Your Lover

Having proved hugely popular earlier in the year, the Bush has revived its Latitude-commissioned, multi-authored piece with added Christmassy trimmings. It seems strange, however, that only a year after being threatened with an Arts Council funding cut, and having ferociously fought its case as a vital, unique, much-loved new writing powerhouse, the Bush should give over its space twice to what is essentially a comedy sketch show. While the show does offer a couple of more serious monologues, these are more countered by a raft of (mostly very funny) comic songs and emotional desolation-themed Christmas carol rewrites. Written by a team of six young playwrights, the material varies in quality from some blackly funny, observational stuff, through a bunch of likeable absurdism, to some more humdrum pieces. Highlights include Ralf Little and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith's rap about an unfaithful girlfriend and a series of sketches in which Little repeatedly fails to leave his over-assertive posh girlfriend.