The National Theatre’s latest show, written in 2003, has bundles of energy and ideas. A thrusting young reporter, Yvonne, investigates the shooting of a yuppie in a rundown part of a teeming US metropolis. She learns that the murder was committed by a cross-dressing gang of all-female muggers, known as AOBs, whose leader, Latisha, is a teenage genius. Her parents were alcoholic derelicts and yet she taught herself several European languages while growing up in poverty.

Yvonne, who also happens to be multilingual, banters with her in Italian and German. But will Latisha confess and give the newspaper an exclusive? To complicate matters, Yvonne is secretly entangled with the paper’s super-wealthy owner but this doesn’t stop her flirting with a camp colleague, Neil, who takes her out to expensive bars. ‘Bitch has no sense of humour,’ mutters Neil as he buys her yet another cocktail. He’s dead right about Yvonne who seems earnest, manipulative and smug.

Good riddance, Monty Don

Andy Burnham resembled an extreme train enthusiast at PMQs

Britain’s sanctions against Israel will backfire

This far-fetched yarn sounds like a novel dreamed up by an over-educated East Coast professor of creative writing. Sure enough, the CV of the author, Tracey........

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