The Virgin Mary is Christianity's most important female figure, but little is revealed about her in the Bible. The Testament of Mary, at the Barbican in London addresses the question of how Mary might have felt about the extraordinary and violent events of her son's life.
The radical Nigerian Islamic group Boko Haram, whose name loosely translates as "Western education is forbidden", has admitted that it abducted more than 200 girls from their school in Northern Nigeria three weeks ago. Pressure on the Government to find the girls remains intense, and pressure from the international community is increasing. So what does this tragedy say about the role of women in Nigerian society?
In 2006 writer Lilian Pizzichini was addicted to drink and drugs, but holding down a job. She took the advice of a fortune teller and bought a 70-foot narrowboat moored on the Grand Union Canal in London. Her memoir "Music Night at the Apollo" - charts her 12 months on the boat, her descent into addiction, and how she learnt about her working-class roots.
Lady Mary Feilding was a Victorian philanthropist who founded a charitable body called The Working Ladies' Guild in 1877. Records relating to the early years of the Guild have recently been re-examined and these documents provide a fascinating insight into the lives of these 'distressed gentlewomen' in Victorian Britain.
Plus Sam Clark, chef and co-founder of Moro restaurant, will Cook the Perfect Tapas dish - grilled peppers with crispy capers. Show less