In its unmistakable scalloped white glory, the Russian Drama Theatre is another very recognisable Baku landmark. Its current guise is its third, it was originally a stunning piece of mock-chinoiserie called the Mikado Theatre around the turn of the last century and then an uninspiring dark behemoth until its current reconstruction in the 1950s. While the National Theatre concentrates on works in Azeri, the Russian Drama Theatre focuses more on international greats by such leading names as Chekhov, TennesseernWilliams, Arthur Miller, Lope de Vega, Somerset Maugham and, of course, Shakespeare. Works are all performed in Russian but the spectacle – and talent – is undeniable even to foreign ears. A children’s programme also runs here, with shows like The Nutcracker laid on for a packed family crowd that often fills Khagani Street outside at the interval.