On TV

AS befits a space journey, this new BBC series moved faster than the speed of light. Within six minutes of the start, we were on day 41 of the mission. By the end, we'd visited Venus and Mars and landed on Jupiter after running the gauntlet of an asteroid belt.

Narrator David Suchet was keen to inform us that we were watching science fact not science fiction. Everything in the series - which comes from the makers of Walking With Dinosaurs - is based on information gleaned from over 40 years of unmanned probes and human space flights.

That can't stop a feeling of deja vu. We've all seen too many space movies to find anything new here, no matter how good the computer-generated effects and dramatised segments involving the crew on a voyage to the planets.

Never mind the moon - been there, done that. This Space Odyssey promises a six-year, eight billion mile tour of our solar system, undertaken by the five-man crew aboard the Pegasus. They're scientists as well as astronauts, so expect plenty of lessons along the milky way.

First stop was Venus, where the crew became the first people to see the surface because the planet is permanently covered with cloud. The programme was full of nuggets of information like this to prove the show's educational value.

Visiting Venus was a problem because of the heat. The astronauts' protective suits were tested in a blast furnace. Cameras on a previous probe melted before getting a decent snap. "Get in, do your experiments as fast as you can and get out," was the instruction.

The programme tried to create tension as communications were established but, rather like the cliff-hanger ending, this just seemed manufactured. Swelling music and applause at mission control at key moments was borrowed from space movies too. I couldn't help wishing they'd either make a documentary or a drama and not try to do both.

There was even a message about global warming. The "hellhole that is Venus" could happen on Earth with a runaway greenhouse effect.

Then it was on to Mars, "the one place in our solar system most likely to support life". First, we were shown the daily routine aboard the Pegasus and learnt that space travel should carry a health warning as "zero gravity is a lot of fun but too much is bad for your health".

Down on Mars, no little green men turned up to welcome the astronauts but there was a dust storm. "That's what I call a real Martian welcome," joked Tom, disappearing in a swirl of red dust.

No need to worry about his safety. "It may look like a whirlwind but is no worse than a summer breeze," we were assured.

More worries were conjured as the spacecraft headed for Jupiter, passing close to the sun. How dangerous was this? "I'll feel a lot better when they're on their way to Saturn," said mission control. Me too.

The Dog in the Manger, People's Theatre, Newcastle

LOPE de Vega's The Dog in the Manger forms part of the RSC Golden Age season, which showcases Shakespeare's lesser-known contemporaries.

On entering, ladies and men are separated, then subjected to a warm-up. Provided with a list of Spanish insults, spectators were encouraged to heckle or flirt with anyone within range. This move, designed to create a fiery Mediterranean atmosphere, was a great hit, once the audience had overcome their shyness.

Yet the play was in no way upstaged by its zany introduction. Dramatic and witty from the off, The Dog in the Manger moves fast and is packed with timeless humour springing from the battle of the sexes. Overall, women come out on top, although the scheming and heartbreak respect no boundaries.

The action follows the flirtations of the Countess of Belflor, her servants and her suitors. Shakespearean mistaken identity provides many of the laughs, while the sharp new translation makes every word count. There are no flowery speeches, but plenty of uproarious banter and innuendo.

The stunning gothic costumes allow Rebecca Johnson, as the countess, to glide scornfully amongst her lackeys in the manner of Anne Robinson, while Simon Trinder steals the show as Tristan, the manipulative yet loveable manservant. He bounces barefoot across the stage, then lets fly with an earthy Cockney wit worthy of Del Boy Trotter.

An intellectual pantomime for grown-ups, and not to be missed.

l Runs until November 27. Box Office: 0870 905 5060

Rachel Bignell