The Sea - and Martians

Imagine you're an Edwardian gentleman sailor. You set sail with your best friend to see his fiance living on the coast of Norfolk. On the way there your yacht is overturned in a raging storm, and your lives further threatened by guns of an artillery test range.

Battling through the waves you struggle ashore and are met by the local coastguards. But this doesn't bring safety as they have got it into their head that Martians are invading England as doppelgangers, using the storm for cover for a landing (no doubt triggered by the recently published War of the Worlds).

Such is the premise of the play "The Sea" which I saw last night at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket which mixed comedy with tragedy and ended with the call to action "Catch the 11.45 and change the world".

While there were occasional plot weaknesses, it was very enjoyable not least for Eileen Atkins's domineering matriarch and David Haig doing another mild middle class man falling apart.

Its on till mid April and its good stuff so catch it if you can.