“Sometimes a little row adds sparkle to a relationship.” You’re invited to Abigails’ Party at Park90

Holly Creed’s Humane is at the Pleasance Theatre until Nov 21. This timely play explores the history of animal rights activism in the town of Brightlingsea in Essex. Based on interviews with those on the frontline, Humane details how a group of local women took on an increasingly brutal police presence and the agricultural industry to become activists. pleasance.co.uk

• Darling by Kathy Rucker, an American tale of love, mercy and mail fraud, is at the Hope Theatre from Nov 9-27. It’s 1985 in small town Indiana. Dave is a con artist with literary ambitions. Angie, fleeing her past and desperate to belong, joins Dave to pull off a monumental scam – “old school catfishing”. Their victims are the lonely. When the law finally catches up with them, their strongest defender is one of their most aggrieved victims. thehopetheatre.com

• Belvedere by Ana-Maria Bamberger is at the Old Red Lion Theatre until Nov 13. Anton, a famous writer, has checked himself into Belvedere psychiatric clinic to receive treatment for his hallucinations. But after a few weeks he seems to have become the subject of a medical study by Dr Defoe. As a mysterious visitor from Anton’s past appears, the border between reality and imagination is blurred. oldredliontheatre.co.uk

• Reuniting legendary icons Barbra Streisand and Joan Rivers in a fictional stand-off, Roy Smiles’ Funny Girls is a fantastical clash of ego and wit, laced with lashings of humour. On the night Streisand’s mother has come to see the show, Barbra knows her mother will dump on her dreams. It’s up to Rivers to talk her into going on stage and become the star she will surely be. Fast forward 10 years: Streisand is playing Vegas. Rivers, now a hugely successful comedian, visits Barbra. Upstairs at the Gatehouse until Nov 21. upstairsatthegatehouse.com

• Abigail’s Party, Mike Leigh’s iconic comedy drama, is at Park90 from Nov 10-Dec 4 starring Kellie Shirley and Ryan Early. Beverly and estate agent husband Laurence are living the dream in suburbia. They know what records to play, what art prints to buy and what wine to drink. Beverly just can’t resist the temptation to spread her knowledge and help improve the lives of their neighbours, Tony, Angela and Abigail’s Mum, Susan, who she invites over for drinks and titbits. Leigh’s classic 1977 comedy of manners first ran at Hampstead Theatre, before being adapted for TV. parktheatre.co.uk

• Rowan Rheingans’ award-winning theatre show Dispatches on the Red Dress, co-written with Liam Hurley, is at Camden People’s Theatre from Nov 9-10. Rheingans weaves immersive storytelling with live fiddle, banjo and original folk songs. Unravelling the joy and pain from a story of her grandmother’s youth in 1940s Germany, Rowan celebrates small acts of resistance. cptheatre.co.uk