I feel a prat saying this when you may just already know it, but Uncle Vanya is tremendous. Okay, if that’s ever so slightly ancient news, how about this? The Birmingham Rep’s production is fantastic.

You’ve got until April 14. I imagine it must tour but I don’t know and I do hope you get to see it.

Something came up today that just narked me no end and though I took it out on my pampas grass, I was in a foul mood going out. So, I’m in a mood and Anton Chekhov is not the Jim Carrey of theatre, it wasn’t looking like a promising evening. Frankly, all I knew about Chekhov is that he liked his four-act plays so, well, a mood, Russian four-act depressions, I didn’t expect to be safe company.

But it instantly got me. And it really moves: er, I’ve just realised I mean that in pretty much every sense. It’s two acts, interval, two acts but lightspeed. Brilliant sets, complete with live rain, and a strong cast I completely bought.

One thing, though. Check the Birmingham Rep website for special offers: I just went on that so I could tell you when the play is on until and discovered that tickets were only a tenner tonight. They weren’t remotely a tenner when I booked a couple of months ago. I can’t pretend it wasn’t well worth the price I paid but I might pay more attention to that website in future.

Did you know the RSC’s doing The Seagull soon? I think this Chekhov lad has a future.

William