Rani's delicious Curry treat

Apparently there is no word for curry in any of the Indian languages: it was coined by the British in India. But that hasn't stopped the irrepressible Rani Moorthy from serving up a delicious one-woman show.

As well as providing food for thought through the tales of five cooks, Moorthy's show offers the audience an added bonus - being fed the curries she cooks on stage. And, believe me, she's as good a cook as she is an actress.

Moorthy switches between characters as diverse as a larger-than-life Indian socialite, a beggar and a British-Asian businesswoman. Overseeing all of them is Anapurna, the goddess of food.

A novel mix of Western storytelling and Kutthu folk theatre, which seeks to break down the barriers between performer and audience, Curry Tales is at times both overcooked and underwritten. But Moorthy brings each woman to life with such generous warmth and vitality that you soon forgive any shortcomings.

Until Oct 2, Lyric Theatre Studio, King Street W6, Mon to Sat 8pm, £12, £7 concs. Tel: 08700 500 511. Tube: Hammersmith (reviewed in Edinburgh)

Curry Tales