STAGE.

Byline: with SteFAN KYRIAZIS

Till The Stars Come Down... Theatre Royal Haymarket to September 27, trh.co.uk Being hit in the face by flying Spanx is just one audience treat during this riotous comedy drama about a disastrous wedding. And that's in the stalls. The lucky ones on stage flank a central turntable where the superb cast cycle through getting ready, the ceremony, dinner, after-party and devastating denouement.

The National Theatre production of Beth Steel's visceral dissection of a Midlands working-class family, marital and race conflicts may lack subtlety, but it is explosively delivered with a wallop.

Chekhov looms large over a day in the life of three sisters, where pathos and pain lurk under the foul-mouthed and extremely funny banter. The youngest, Sylvia (Sinead Matthews), is marrying Marek (Julian Kostov, a standout delight), part of the Polish diaspora that is taking over local jobs and industries.

The marriage of domineering eldest sister Hazel (Lucy Black) is on the rocks as spiky middle sis Maggie (Aisling Loftus) returns after doing a flit months before. Their dad and uncle haven't spoken for decades, while gobby, scenestealing aunt Carol (Dorothy Atkinson) gets all the best lines.

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Chaotic hilarity and raw emotions metronomically weave together until all the lurking, admittedly cliched, plot landmines detonate. Families, eh?

Diamonds and Dust. Emerald Theatre to September 31, diamondsxdust.com Global burlesque megastar Dita Von Teese's Wild West fantasia is a diamonique dud.

Her name's above the title but she slinks around (select nights only) for just two undeniably world-class numbers. Most of the show's costume budget clearly went on her jaw-dropping, bodysculpting, blingtastic gowns.

The thankless heavy lifting is left to Steps' Faye Tozer's saloon madam, valiantly yeehawing through too many interminable linking monologues.

The cast work hard as tepidly tame themed burlesque bits canter through whipcracking, saddle-straddling and aerialism. Low points are a random nun trio (jaw-droppingly cheap habits) and a limp lads' sub-Magic Mike bump 'n' grind in jeans. The seating is shoddy, the sound system deafens. Songs by electrifying legends like Eartha Kitt fatally remind you of what's lacking.

STEPS keeps going

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NEXT STEPS Tozer keeps show going

BIG DAY Kostov and Matthews star