THEATRE CHOICE

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE

Cottesloe, SE1 (0171 452 3000) booking to Nov

Henry Goodman is magnificent in Trevor Nunn's richly detailed production.

JEFFREY BERNARD IS UNWELL

Old Vic, SE1 (0171 928 7616) to 25 Sept

Peter O'Toole (right) turns the life and thoughts of the late Soho journalist into an enchanting portrait of a noble wreck.

SUMMERFOLK

Olivier, SE1

(0171 452 3000)

to 11 Nov

Nick Dear's new version of Maxim Gorky's play about the chattering classes. See review, above.

OPENING THIS WEEK

QUARTET

Albery, WC2 (0171 369 1730) previews from Tues, opens Wed to 4 Mar

Veteran talents Donald Sinden, Alec McCowen, Stephanie Cole and Angela Thorne behave badly in a new Ronald Harwood play set in an old people's home.

YOU BE TED & I'LL BE SYLVIA

Hampstead, NW3 (0171 722 9301) previews from Wed, opens 13 Sept to 9 Oct

Nichola McAuliffe takes the lead in Simon Smith's dark comedy about a feminist artist returning to her home town to create a piece of conceptual art.

THE COLOUR OF JUSTICE

West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds (0113 244 2111) Mon-Sat, then touring

The Tricycle's sell-out reconstruction of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry goes on tour in the wake of the Macpherson report.

ROBERT BUTLER