... pjANCER Clare liardman, of Ros- sendale (Lancashire) last year underwent a hole-in-the-heart operation at Manchester. And for her first professional engagement since the operation she became a member of the 12-strong Fox- Miller troupe in the pantomime Mother Goose which has just completed its four week run at Sunderland Empire. ...

... THIS GIRL HELEN SHAPIRO-SHE COULD BE A STAR One thought while watching the new Adam Faith Show THEY say that Adam was the first man-- and he might be first in somebody's book, but not in mine alas. (Adam Faith-- BBC-tv September 19th.) If audience reaction is any thing to go on and of course it generally is not then he made a big hit with his ren dering of numbers both of the vintage wine ...

... SAM BENEDICT NO doubt the pious and pals of Pilkington will have plenty to say about the fact that two American shows were screened in succession at a peak viewing time. But I maintain rather two good importations than one bad home-grown product. And on Thursday night we were treated to two slick pro ductions one a comedy (re viewed above) and the other a serious hour-long legal- loophole ...

... Good pay-off THE TYCOONS AFTER absorbing so many examples of how superintelligent and omniscient the men from other worlds are, it was refreshing to see in the last of the Out of This clumsy, and prone to the lures of sex and big money as the mere earth-bound beings. The Tycoons was a stylish production by Charles Jar- rott, and extremely well cast. Apart from the extra-terres- -I tial ...

... Agent Bob Weedon. announces that Australian cabaret star Larry Stellar it now in England to fulfil a date at the Chateau L'Aperitif in Nottingham. Also fixed for this venue are singers Sula Cartier and Mitzi Maguire. -)t O The Roy Bradley Dancers who are appearing in Devon are introducing the BEJE dance with audience partici- pation. He also has several troupes playing Ponting holiday camps ...

... CLUB CORNER North-West pub and club entrepreneurs are equally prepared for the anticipated holiday celebrations, and the live attractions on offer at some of the more popular spots in Blackpool and around are in complete accord with the resort's reputation for top standard entertainment As usual when it comes to club- pub name-draws the LOBSTER POT five-stand group Where the stars of ...

... LINES from LANCS by JAMES HARTLEY In this part of the country confusion still lingers on over the fixing of the SPRING BANK HOLIDAY which replaces the holiday observance of the religious Whitsuntide So this year Whit Monday fell on May 18 while the officially holiday will be celebrated next Monday, May 25 Although the impresarios seem to have been late this year in the matter of finalising ...

... Ballet Gulbenkian at 'The Wells' THE REPERTOIRE of Ballet Gulbenkian, which plays a season at Sadler's Wells Theatre from July to 14. will be Handel's Messiah, cho reography by Lar Lubovitch: Milko Sparemblek's Passa- caglia, music by Webem; Ar chipelago III, choreography by Carlos Trincheiras. music by Andre Boucourechliev, scenery and costumes by Artur Casais; Symphony of Psalms, cho ...

... Indian Festival THE THIRD Festival of Arts of India opened at the Queen Elizabeth Hall this week. It will also be seen in Manchester, Bristol. Bath. Cheltenham and Corby and at the Queen Eliza beth Hall again on July 14 and 15. The Festival features song, music, dance and drums from the North and South of India and features sixteen artists in solos and ensembles. They are Sitltleshwan Devi, ...

... Blair's farewell to dancing NOSTALGIA was the dominant emotion at Covent Garden on June 25 when David Blair danced Colas in La Fille mal gardge as his farewell performance with the Royal Ballet. This is the part he created in 1960 and was an ideal choice to round off a re warding dancing career, during which he has given a great deal of pleasure, from his early Sad ler's Wells days in ...

... Markova presents Award THE MARKOVA AWARD, a silver salver presented annually to an outstanding student of the Arts Educational Schools, was won this year by Deirdre Allen, one of the eight girls who were adjudicated by Dame Alicia herself at the Golden Lane Theatre on June 26. This time there were no male students free to compete, as they had all taken up profes sional engagements imme ...

... Ballet at Horsham GALA BALLETS, under the artistic direction of Rovi Pavi- noff and Catherine Weeuelin. have enlarged their repertoire and this Friday and Saturday at t)ie Capitol, Horsham are in cluding Act II of Swan Lake, with Rovi Pavinoff as Prince Siegfried and Wendy Lewin as Odette. Mela Carter has choreographed a new bal let, Pied Piper with Clive Lewin in the title role, and Va ...