Birthday, Royal Court Upstairs, London Crow, Borough Hall, London Utopia, Soho Theatre, Time
Lisa and Ed are expecting their second child. Actually, Ed is the expectant one: in Joe Penhall's taut new comedy, career-minded mums may keep their jobs while willing fathers carry the baby and book a C-section. Birthday takes place in a hospital room, as Ed (Stephen Mangan) endures a lengthy labour. Mangan plays to TV type, going from toothily grinning, garrulous father-to-be to sardonic, sweary, desperate dad.