In Your Hands is the worst thing I've seen this year. It re-creates the Moscow Theatre siege of 2002, which resulted in almost 200 deaths, in the auditorium of the New End, with actors sat among the audience.
The situation is historical, the characters are fictional. In fact, the characters are wholly unbelievable, and mixed up in badly written, slow, soapish plots (one of the hostages is having the baby of a terrorist's brother - that sort of thing).
A major disaster is rendered trivial, even laughable. I'm told the play's performance was blocked in Russia by the government. That seems less fearful authoritarianism than good taste.
Until 15 October (0870 033 2733, www.newendtheatre.co.uk)
In Your Hands
New End Theatre
New End, Heath Street, Hampstead, NW3 1JD
