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Top 5 theatre openings this week: 25 – 31 January

From Julie Hesmondhalgh to Ralph Fiennes we take a look at the hottest tickets this week

| London | London's West End | Off-West End |

26 January 2016

5. Wit – Royal Exchange, Manchester

Julie Hesmondhalgh in The Wit — Julie Hesmondhalgh in *The Wit*

You may know her as Hayley Cropper from Coronation Street, but Julie Hesmondhalgh is a damn fine stage actor to boot. Here she plays a professor of English struggling to cope with treatment for ovarian cancer. Margaret Edson's Pulitzer Prize-winning play premiered on Broadway in 2012 starring Cynthia Nixon.

26 January – 13 February 2016, Royal Exchange, Manchester. More information and tickets here.

4. The Mother – Tricycle Theatre

Richard Clothier and Gina McKee in rehearsals for The Mother — Richard Clothier and Gina McKee in rehearsals for *The Mother*
© Mark Douet

Last year the Kilburn venue played host to Florian Zeller's The Father, this year Zeller takes aim at The Mother. Following the widespread praise for the former, we probably don't need to sell this one to you, but if you need a reason to go, it stars the fabulous Gina McKee, enough said.

26 January – 5 March, Tricycle Theatre. More information and tickets here.

3. Escaped Alone – Royal Court

Deborah Findlay, Kika Markham, Caryl Churchill, Linda Bassett and June Watson.
© Johan Persson

Linda Bassett, Kika Markham, Deborah Findlay and June Watson, four of the country's finest actors in a new play by one of our finest playwrights, Caryl Churchill. A victory not only for those who believe women are underrepresented in theatre, but for theatre fans in general.

28 January – 12 March, Royal Court. More information and tickets here.

2. The Master Builder – Old Vic

Sarah Snook and Ralph Fiennes
© Manuel Harlan

Old Vic artistic director Matthew Warchus directs David Hare's new adaptation of Ibsen's late masterpiece. The production stars Oscar nominee Ralph Fiennes and whilst in recent years he's known for playing 'he who must not be named', we imagine the critics will be shouting his name from the rooftops after press night on Friday.

29 January – 19 February, Old Vic. More information and tickets here.

1. Iphigenia in Splott – Temporary Theatre, National

Sophie Melville in Iphigenia in Splott — Sophie Melville in *Iphigenia in Splott*
© Mark Douet

In his five star review from the play's run in Edinburgh last year, Matt Trueman praised the 'superb' Sophie Melville in Gary Owen's 'remarkable' monologue. Melville went on to scoop the Stage Award for Acting Excellence at the Fringe. A must see.

29 January – 20 February – Temporary Theatre, National. More information and tickets here.