Seven days on stage

The legendary Mariinsky Ballet arrived in London this week. Judith Mackrell was underwhelmed by their William Forsythe programme at Sadler's Wells, feeling that the two central works, including Approximate Sonata (above), were 'patchily executed' Photograph: Tristram Kenton/Guardian

For their second Sadler's Wells programme, the Mariinsky Ballet performed Balanchine and Ratmansky. Judith Mackrell detected a 'most unfamiliar flavour of imperial grandeur' in their Apollo, conducted by Valery Gergiev Photograph: Tristram Kenton

Lyn Gardner found Mine, Polly Teale's play at Hampstead theatre, 'an overstuffed bag of ideas', but was won over by its 'fierce emotional honesty' Photograph: Tristram Kenton/Guardian

Frank McGuinness's version of Oedipus at the National Theatre greatly impressed Michael Billington. He saluted Ralph Fiennes' 'instinctive hauteur' as 'a man whose suffering is related to his character flaws' Photograph: Tristram Kenton/Guardian

Peepolykus's Spyski at the Lyric Hammersmith tried hard and made Lyn Gardner laugh occasionally, but on reflection she found it simply 'lameski' Photograph: Tristram Kenton/Guardian

At the Playhouse in Liverpool, Alfred Hickling was impressed by Frank Cottrell-Boyce's Proper Clever, which is aimed at teenage audiences. He lamented that, since the piece is not a set text, schools have been slow to book Photograph: Robert Day/PR

La Clique, the burlesque and circus show at the Hippodrome, was named best entertainment Photograph: Guardian