Maybe you saw the planet Venus pass in front of the sun on Tuesday, or maybe like me, you didn't realise the 'once in a lifetime' event was over by mid-day. Either way, as a way of celebration or compensation, of seeing or not seeing the spectacle, the sketch The Transit of Venus, that is on at the Burton Taylor Theatre until saturday, gives a nice insight into the science and history associated with the rare phenomonon. It is only 45 mins long, but very informative and energetic. You really come away with a feel for what it must have been like to live through the 1874 transit, which is, obviously very topical. And, you can tell that the student actors (all philosophers) are obviously passionate about the subject. With minimal props, costume or scenery they manage to convey a sense of the excitement and confusion with which observations of the planet's movements were made. They combine plays and poetry, newspaper extracts, and genuine representations of the transit with polished and original, but on the whole amateur, acting performances to produce a very commendable show. You won't get to see this play again for another 700 years, so best go and see it now!

Lucy Moore, 11/6/04