Rosalind Miles

A modern art exhibition morphed into an upmarket London apartment as it became the setting for an unconventional stream- of-consciousness style performance.

One of Shakespeare's most difficult plays is bought to life with passion, sensitivity and humour this week by Oxford theatre company BMH Productions. The Merchant of Venice tells how Christian merchant Antonio (Tom Bateman) becomes indebted to Jewish money lender Shylock on behalf of his friend Bassanio (Tim Goldman). If the debt is not repaid he will forfeit a pound of Antonio's flesh.

Molora is a raw, moving and intense examination of that most human - and most devastating - of acts, revenge. South African theatre company The Farber Foundry have adapted the Greek tragedy the Oresteia Trilogy, in which a mother murders her husband in revenge for him killing their child. She then enslaves her daughter, before being killed by her vengeful son.

An African flavoured extravaganza of music, dance and story-telling is unfurling this week at the Pegasus to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the slave trade. Journeys to Freedom consists of nine plays (split into three performances of three plays) and features a cast of 140 young people from age six to 19.

'One of the best things to come out of my BBC1 show is the corporate brand sponsorship," boasts Omid Djalili. "I got £1,000 last week from Speedo not to wear their products."

The theme of teachers is something everyone can relate to. As the promotional Government advert says, we can all remember that one teacher who either inspired us or (actually the advert doesn't say this) was collectively despised or derided by the whole school.

CandoCo is a company of disabled and able-bodied dancers who worked with great skill last Wednesday night to bring to life two very different and striking pieces of dance.

Two men on tricycles rode towards each other and started fighting, each of them tumbling off their steeds at intervals, their cycle helmets shiny in flashing stage lights. In the surreal and comic world of the Plantlife production of Alice Through the Looking Glass these were the white and red knights from a chessboard jousting.

WITNEY'S Marriotts Close development has been given a final seal of approval from the Government.

THERE are no drop-outs to be found at Witney's very own beauty school.