Less cheery but no less fascinating is another delayed British premiere, that of Gogol's strange "Gamblers" (1843), in an idiomatic new version by Chris Hannan, at the Tricycle, Kilburn. The inn where Gogol's fallen angels - Ikharev (nearly Icarus) and his servant, Gabriel - dice against death and tempt three other doomed creatures to a game of faro is brazenly represented by no less than five hansom carriages on the little stage.
This bold scenography, flecked with lamps, popping champagne bottles, guttering long pipes and flurries of flying cards, is the arresting work of Dalia Ibelhauptaite, a Lithuanian, and her designer Oleg Sheintsis, a Muscovite. Ikharev is played with wide-eyed eagerness by Oleg Menshikov, who spoke not a word of English when he appeared, charismatically, opposite Vanessa Redgrave in "When She Danced" last year. Charisma's charisma, folks, and learning English has not damaged Oleg's.
His partners in debauchery are played with a nice sinister edge by Mark Rytance, Phil Daniels and Peter Silver leaf, and there is a glorious cameo by Anthony Milner as a double-dealing official from the finance section of municipal buildings. For all that, I feel the heart of this diabolic and tantalising piece has not really been unlocked. Its dark ambiguity remains shrouded in too much mystery. Perhaps, as in Gogol's other obsessive, tortuously composed work, "Dead Souls", its references and implications are lost in translation.

Submitted by Jane Grey