Back in London for the second year running, but now at the Barbican rather than the Royal Vauxhall Tavern, Duckie's tantalising and teasing cabaret of theatrical table-top performances remains the most original and alternative festive offering in town. If I am less enthusiastic about it this year, it is not because the concept of conspicuous consumption served directly at your table is no longer relevant, or that the performers and their acts are any less clever, tongue-in-cheek and daring. Neither have I suddenly developed an aversion to acres of flesh-coloured body stockings.
No, my objection to C'est Barbican! is quite simply that although you can take Duckie out of Vauxhall (the show played very successfully in Edinburgh this year), you really cannot put Vauxhall into the Barbican, that haunt of corporate entertaining. This evening is a sharp reminder that theatre is more about location and context than we often recognise, and that the audience are not merely passive spectators but part of the performance. This means that if you are unlucky enough to have an obnoxious drunken city slicker at your table, your experience of the evening will reflect this.
The transformation of the "dead" space of the Pit into a cabaret bar has been brilliantly conceived by designer Simon Vincenzi, but even this seems like a decadence too far, creating the impression that the Barbican wants to claim the show rather than support it in a more natural habitat.
Although these performers can clearly all look after themselves, my experience of Friday's late night performance suggests that after a few drinks some of the audience may forget that this is a theatre show, not a lap-dancing club. I am also willing to bet that somebody will actually fork out £45 for a Duckie keyring souvenir without even blinking.
· Until January 4. Box office: 0845 120 7500.
