THEATRE / Previews and First Nights

A LITTLE OLDER

Hampstead Theatre, London NW3

The winner of this year's Independent Theatre Award opens its London showcase. John Binnie's memory play is a warm and moving account of a friendship, wittily performed by Clyde Unity Theatre Company. Opens tonight (071-722 9301).

BRACE UP]

Tramway, Glasgow

British premiere of the Wooster Group's new piece, based on Chekhov's The Three Sisters. Opens tonight (041-227 5511).

ASSASSINS

Donmar Warehouse, London WC2

The British premiere of the Sondheim / Weidman musical. Now previewing; opens tomorrow (071-867 1150). See feature.

THE ROCK STATION

Cockpit Theatre, London NW8

Soho Theatre Company's new play is set in a lighthouse during the Irish famine. Opens tonight (071-402 5081).

WHY THINGS HAPPEN

ICA, London SW1

Second Stride with a new show based on a text by Mart Cruickshank. Opens tomorrow (071-930 3647).

LE BARUFFE CHIOZZOTTE

Lyttelton, National, London SE1

The Piccolo Theatre from Milan with a Goldoni comedy about the return of the Chioggian fishermen to their village and their wives after six months at sea. Directed by Giorgio Strehler and presented as part of the European Arts Festival. Opens tomorrow (071-928 2252).

OUR SONG

Apollo, London W1

Peter O'Toole plays a middle-aged advertising executive who falls unsuitably in love, in Keith Waterhouse's stage adaptation of his own novel. Previews from tonight; opens 3 Nov (071-494 5070).

THE CHANGELING

Swan, Stratford-upon-Avon

Cheryl Campbell plays Beatrice-Joanna in Michael Attenborough's production of the Jacobean classic by Middleton and Rowley. Previews from tonight; opens 3 Nov (0789 295623).

THE SCHOOL OF NIGHT

The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon

A new play by Peter Whelan about the mysterious murder of the playwright Christopher Marlowe in 1593. With Richard McCabe as Marlowe. Previews from tonight; opens 4 Nov (0789 295623).

ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA

Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford- upon-Avon

Clare Higgins and Richard Johnson are the great lovers in John Caird's new production. Previews from tomorrow; opens 5 Nov (0789 295623).

DRAGON

Olivier, National Theatre, London SE1

Yevgeny Shvarts's fairy-tale in a new version by Alan Cumming and Ultz. The National's new children's show has puppets by Spitting Image and is suitable for children of nine years or more. Now previewing; opens 6 Nov (071-928 2252).

NO MAN'S LAND

Almeida, London N1

Harold Pinter appears in his own play as Hirst, alongside Paul Eddington as Spooner. The production is directed by David Leveaux. Previews from tomorrow; opens 2 Nov (071-359 4404).

JUNE MOON

Vaudeville, London, WC2

West End transfer from Hampstead Theatre of Lardner and Kaufman's enjoyable comedy about an innocent young songwriter and his experiences on Tin Pan Alley. Previews from tomorrow; opens 4 Nov (071-836 9987).

LESBIANS WHO KILL

Drill Hall, London WC1

In the light of Basic Instinct, Split Britches (Peggy Shaw and Lois Weaver) explores stereotypes and stories of female serial- killers. Opens 3 Nov (071-637 8270).

THE TENDER HUSBAND

Watermans, Brentford

The Magnificent Theatre Company dust down another neglected classic - this time an 18th-century comedy by Sir Richard Steele, last produced in 1802. Previews 3 Nov; opens 4 Nov (081-568 1176).

FOREVER YOURS, MARY LOU

BAC, London SW11

Thin Language Theatre Company with a play by Canadian writer Michel Tremblay about two sisters coming to terms with their past. Previews 3 Nov; opens 4 Nov (071-223 2223).

THE WEXFORD TRILOGY

Bush, London W12

The Bush brings together all three of Billy Roche's immensely evocative plays set in the small Irish town of Wexford: A Handful of Stars, Poor Beast in the Rain and Belfry. The trilogy will be performed in repertory and also in its entirety. Previews from 3 Nov; the first play, A Handful of Stars, opens 6 Nov (081-743 3388).