Opening This Week

The Real Inspector Hound
See My, What A Busy Week! on page 13. Coho Theatre, 2257 NW Raleigh, 220-COHO, Opens Fri, runs Thurs-Sat 8 pm, Sun 2 pm, through March 4, $19-22

Current Runs

The Love of the Nightingale
Theater Vertigo brings a deft, post-modern sensibility with The Love of the Nightingale, a retelling of the myth of Philomele. The juxtaposition of irony and sincerity, captured perfectly by Vertigo, results in a production that is equal parts thought-provoking and heart-wrenching. AH Theater! Theatre!, 3430 SE Belmont, 286-3456, Thurs-Sat 8 pm, through Feb 11, $15

Far Away
Liminal's production of Caryl Churchill's "dark, quasi-political" Far Away includes a live soundtrack and a set composed entirely of video projections. Goldsmith Building, 10 NW 5th, 233-4420, Thurs-Sat 8 pm, through Feb 18, $6-10

the seagull
The Seagull. Joseph Fisher's adaptation of Chekhov's classic is compelling and clear, accentuating the humor of the work without sacrificing a bit of emotional depth. Dave Nofsinger's set is lovely, a wooden platform overhanging a pool of water with a wall of mirrors reflecting the action, an unearthly quality heightened by Bryan Boyd's meticulous lighting and Rodolfo Ortega's gorgeous score. AH Artists Repertory Theatre, 1516 SW Alder, 241-1278, Tues-Thurs 7 pm, Fri-Sat 8 pm, Sun 2 pm, 7 pm, through Feb 26, $15-40

Dance

Richard Alston Dance Company
One of Great Britain's most celebrated contemporary dance troupes, cavorting on a Portland stage for one night only. Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, 1037 SW Broadway, 248-4335, 7:30 pm Wed Feb 1, $19-43