Can there have been a more appropriate time to stage The Merchant of Venice? As moneylender Shylock claims his pound of flesh in repayment of a 3,000-ducat loan, in real life banking scandals emerge almost daily. At least Shylock does some careful calculations to check the amount of risk he is taking on, unlike contemporary bankers. Directed by Natalie Abrahami, Creation Theatre’s Merchant is now halfway through its season, and the ensemble cast is thoroughly run in and working well together. As usual with Creation, the accent is on good, clear storytelling, and you are left to form your own opinions — neither Jew nor Christian is above reproach, it seemed to me.

The outstanding performance is Jonathan Oliver’s Shylock — dangerous pressures build beneath a smooth banker surface — and I particularly enjoyed Leila Crerar’s feisty Portia. But there are no weak links.

“This show is weatherproof,” announces Creation’s website. Er um, not on Tuesday it wasn’t. We endured an hour outdoors in a steady downpour — and all credit to them, the actors never flagged for a moment. Then an early interval was called, and the show moved into the rather sterile ambience of a lecture theatre — you can see why they want to play the show outdoors if possible. But you have been warned: take a mac. Until September 1. Tickets: www.creationtheatre.co.uk or 01865 766266.