Force Majeure, Donmar Warehouse

Get ready for an icy comedy about frayed family ties and a ski trip gone wrong as Force Majeure is adapted for the stage. Ruben Östlund's 2014 film was a triumph at Cannes, delighting critics and audiences alike with a wry observational comedy that gradually snowballs into a sharp pyschodrama. Tim Price adapts the story for the stage, in a new production premiering at the Donmar Warehouse. Head of the Donmar Michael Longhurst directs the story and a cast including seasoned stage and screen star Rory Kinnear and Nathalie Armin (The Doctor).

We follow Swedish couple Tomas and Ebba, who head to the Alps for picture perfect ski trip with their two children. But just as they sit down to enjoy an alfresco lunch with panoramic views of the mountains, snow starts tumbling down in a (controlled) avalanche. No injuries occur – there's no disaster so to speak – yet this seemingly innocuous event leaves the stability of family life in disrepair.

As Tomas and Ebba's relationship grows increasingly tense, Force Majeure offers a biting social commentary, delving into notions of patriarchy and masculinity with dark and understated humour.

Perhaps most thrillingly of all, Longhurst's production sets the drama on a convincing snow-dusted ski slope.