Set in pre-Perestroika, Go West is a play about transitions, the difficulties encountered when leaping into such huge cultural changes, and the effect on family and friends. Good performances all round, especially from Clarissa Malheiros who appears under the guises of young and old Ukrainian women, then directly relates to us her personal experiences in Kiev.

A clever set, constructed from suitcases of varying sizes, miraculously has the effect of creating the atmosphere of Russian streets, as do the sounds and the physical skills of the actors themselves. There are some genuinely touching and funny moments, such as the discovery of The Beatles and the desire that the mysterious delivery will contain Levi jeans; however, the storyline is occasionally fractured and hard to follow – really the only flaw with the production. Andrei Kritenko shipped over from the Ukraine provides some original direction and insight into the lifestyle of another culture. A brave attempt.