Steering into soap opera

Badnuff is a feast of squandered opportunities, although the remarkable young actors perform with all the force of a direct hit. Unfortunately, Richard Davidson, who writes for EastEnders, steers this play in mid-flow away from its investigation into disturbed teenage lives.

Badnuff is then buffeted by waves of melodramatic soap opera: teenagers are ridiculously immersed in the adulterous doings and undoings of two teachers.

Badnuff purports to be about teenagers in a Pupil Referral Unit. This grim-sounding institution takes pupils with educational and behavioural difficulties, who have been excluded from school, and teaches them in tiny groups.

Since Davidson was once a teacher and has studied these units' work he ought be well placed to provide dramatic insight into their practical value and techniques. How on earth do you try or manage to interest and enthuse these special pupils? No answers are provided. The young people remain shadowy figures.

Badnuff does, however, offer a fascinating keyhole view of these dejected or rejected teenagers. The atmosphere seethes with verbal and physical violence. New arrival, bright, disconsolate Jay is outcast. White, scrawny, sexmad Brendan wars with black, lonesome, Lanny, who is possessed by furious melancholia.

Mixed-race Patsy rages. Raquel Cassidy's cool, calm, early thirties teacher, Maggie, whose touches of sexappeal cause rivalry between the boys, mildly cautions Brendan: "Put your penis away." Her tone generally works wonders.

The focus unfairly shifts to the headmaster (David Harewood) whose ostentatious, drunken passion for Maggie and his treacherous classroom abuse is capped by violent scenes that beggar belief. Jonathan Lloyd's vibrant production is magnificently served by Michael Obiora's Lanny, Josef Altin's Brendan, Rachel Harvey's Jay and Petra Letang's Patsy.

Until 17 April. Information: 020 7478 0100.

Badnuff