But the whole genre of darkly comic crime thrillers feels tired now. Also On Tour's first half, set in a prison cell, is animated only by cocaine snorting - with the powder bemusingly left, by director Matt Wilde, for any passing screw to see on Lisa Lillywhite's set of shoddy, squeaky plastic boxes. Burke's slangy dialogue can be vibrant and entertaining. Nonetheless, his cockney, manc and scouse geezers - Daz, Hawk and Ray - aren't all that differentiated and the political/philosophical references are too patently imposed by the author this time round. The significance of Darwin's natural selection theory is glaringly obvious, as Hawk preys on the seemingly gullible Daz, and their conversation about indistinguishable fake and genuine currency alerts you to the possibility of conman and sucker switching, so later plot twists are no surprise.Perhaps most striking is the common ground which On Tour shares with Shoot The Crow (see adjacent review) in highlighting the self-interest behind teamwork and suggesting law-breaking is the only way some see of beating the system To their credit, Wilde's actors are doing a fine job.

Andrew Schofield exudes dangerous acidity as the old hand, Ray. Jeff Hordley is excellent as the chummy, cunning Hawk and newcomer Paul Anderson, playing Daz with swagger, deserves to go places as well.To 22 October, 020 7565 5000, then Liverpool Everyman, 28 October to 19 November, 0151 709 4776. What a difference a night makes. Ian Talbot's production of Cole Porter's musical romcom was, reportedly, stiff and low on fizz at its official press performance this week yet, when I caught it on a Friday evening, the cast were having a ball and the feel-good factor was infectious. This show has very happily transferred from the Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park. Its topiary garden set looks pretty under bright lights, with the Lord family's mansion glimpsed in the distance.

One wonders only momentarily if the jolly chorus of butlers and maids are covert Reds hoping to redistribute some wealth when they trundle their hostess trolleys out into the grounds, loaded up with Miss Tracy and her fianc?eorge's wedding presents. Katherine Kingsley, only two years out of theatre school, is an extremely assured Tracy, striding round in jodhpurs. Paul Robinson, as the undercover journalist with whom she has a champagne-fuelled fling, is a fit and snazzy dancer while Ria Jones, as his sidekick Liz, is delightful, singing "Who Wants To Be A Millionaire" through sardonically grinding teeth. Claire Redcliffe is comically pert too, as Tracy's precocious sister, Dinah. It must be said, however, that this show isn't a match for Michael Blakemore's superlative West End production of Porter's Kiss Me, Kate.