Seven days on stage

At Sadler's Wells, the Mariinsky Theatre performed Rimsky-Korsakov's colourful Tale of Tsar Saltan, based on a Russian folk tale. Andrew Clements felt that 'no other opera company could get away with such a museum piece', but that 'it was all gorgeously played and decently sung' Photograph: Tristram Kenton

Greg Hersov's production of Antigone, at Manchester's Royal Exchange, impressed Alfred Hickling. Though Don Taylor's 'chatty, colloquial translation' was 'a little bathetic', Matti Houghton, as Antigone, turned the informality to her advantage by creating a 'vulnerable, highly engaging personality' Photograph: Jonathan Keenan/PR

Les Ballets C de la B's Aphasiadisiac appeared a 'patchwork piece' with 'snags and holes' to Sanjoy Roy, but its account of 'the gap between communication and contact' combined 'humour and pathos' with 'terrific' performances from Ted Stoffer and Kristyna Lhotáková Photograph: PR

The much-hyped US comedian Sarah Silverman's appearance at the Hammersmith Apollo entertained Brian Logan. Though her show was 'perfectly pitched to create unease' rather than laughter, her best jokes were 'as elegant as haikus, and spring-loaded with subversion' Photograph: John M Heller/Getty

Meanwhile, Lyn Gardner was disappointed by Leo Butler's 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf for the credit-crunch generation', Faces in the Crowd. Despite 'full-frontally brave' performances from its two leads, it was 'a play all dressed up but with nowhere much to go' Photograph: Tristram Kenton

This week, Tel Aviv's Batsheva Dance Company came to London. Judith Mackrell was astonished by the collision of 'wild impulses of energy' with 'classically shaped phrases of dance', but found their less convincing moments a 'repetitious splurge' Photograph: Tristram Kenton

English National Opera's marketing material makes much of Zandra Rhodes' costumes in this revival of Jo Davies's production of Aida, but George Hall thinks they look 'cumbersome'. 'Disappointing' direction leaves the cast 'stranded with little to do but face front and belt'. Fortunately, 'belt they can' Photograph: Tristram Kenton