This week in theatre rounds up the most noteworthy live theatre playing right now in Toronto. It includes just-opened shows as well as productions that are about to close.

This is War / Tarragon Theatre / 8:00pm / 2:00pm / $27-$53
One of the most anticipated plays of the winter is Hannah Moscovitch's This is War, directed by Richard Rose. The play focuses on a conflict zone in Afghanistan where Captain Stephen Hughes is tasked with anticipating the next major threat. The resulting story unfolds from the perspective of three soldiers and a medic stationed at the camp. Moscovitch will undoubtedly bring her unique and compelling voice, as well as draw from her experience writing for the CBC's radio drama Afghanada.

Someone Else / Berkeley Street Theatre / 8:00pm / 2:00pm / $22-$49
Kristen Thomson's I, Claudia is one of the best Canadian plays of the past decade and it continues to delight audiences here and abroad. Once again collaborating with Chris Abraham, Thomson's newest play Someone Else premieres at the Berkeley Street Theatre this week. Focusing on middle age, the play considers the eighteen year marriage of Cathy and Peter that seems destined for failure until an encounter with a stranger changes everything.

The Penelopiad / Buddies in Bad Times / 8:00pm / 2:00pm / $25-$49
Nightwood Theatre and Buddies in Bad Times present a well-deserved revival of Margaret Atwood's The Penelopiad. If you missed the play the first time around, this is your second chance to catch one of the best shows of 2011. Penelope looks back on events during the Odyssey, life in Hades, her relationship with her parents, and the murder of her twelve handmaidens by her husband Odysseus.

Next Stage Festival / Factory Theatre / Various Times / $10-$15
Your first theatre festival of 2013 comes courtesy of the Toronto Fringe, who launch their annual Next Stage Festival this week. The twelve-day affair features ten shows spread throughout the three stages of Factory Theatre. With these productions chosen from some of the best independent theatre in the city, the calibre of the shows is strong and the beer tent will be bustling. Check out our festival preview.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch / Drake Underground / 7:30 / 3:00pm / $25-$35
The Drake Underground is the home of cult favourite Hedwig and the Angry Inch, which appears on Toronto stages just in time to warm up your winter. John Cameron Mitchell's wildly successful tale is, by now, well known. Transexual punk rocker Hedwig and her rock band tour the US on a quest to track down former lover and song stealer Tommy Gnosis. Seth Drabinsky stars as Hedwig in this production from breathe.feel.love.

Photo of This is War