... Middle East fighting threatens charity show RENEWED FIGHTING in the Middle East has struck at plans for an international music event--set up to fund a Lebanese orphanage. The first World Song Contest will go ahead in London next year, but unless another £40,000 can be found it will be on a far more low key pegging than ex pected. Its organiser, Jo Vartan, who heads the Melkonian Foundation, ...

... Back to the Bobbysox days THE delights of American high-school are about to be recreated on a London stage with yet another revival of fifties musical Grease. But this time around both the cast and production team are nearer the age of the characters than any of the far from teenage stars who have appeared in previous stage and film productions. The popular Cambridge Indepen dent Theatre is ...

... Buskers reject the chance of picking up easy money By JEREMY JEHU BRITAIN'S buskers may spend their lives complaining about being harassed and moved on, but holiday chiefs in Skegness have come to the conclusion that they can't recognise a good pitch when they see one. One of the summer attractions at the Eastgate Holiday Centre in the Lincoln shire resort is a 13-week Busker and Street ...

... Together--at last THE Three B's of British trad jazz, Kenny Ball, Chris Barber and Acker Bilk, are to tour together with their bands for the first time ever. Sponsored, appropriately enough, by Carlsberg, and presented by Chris Moreno for E B Productions representing the first time Paul Elliott's company has gone in for concert promo tion the tour starts off at Poole Arts Centre on September ...

... 'Dangerous' balcony leads to alcohol ban HOLYWELL'S ultra-modern showpiece leisure centre due to open before the end of March will not be able to sell alcohol until the bar area is re-designed. The bar is situated on a first floor balcony overlooking the main entrance foyer. Police and magistrates are worried that glasses, drinks, and even people could be thrown over the balcony in the event ...

... Blair shows his flair TOP RANK has signed up Lionel Blair and his Roadshow for appear ances after area finals of the Name That Tune competition currently being held in Top Rank social clubs. The finals will be held in November at the new club in Wood Green, con verted from the former Gaumont Cinema. Blair is pictured here at the Hounslow club. Top Rank is placing greater emph asis on live ...

... Bunny in his burrow NORTHERN DRAG star Bunny Lewis, a STAGE Awards winner in 1973, is settling down after playing ten consecutive summer seasons in Mal ta. He has sunk £100,000 into creating Bunny's Music Hall and Restaurant, part of the Marsland Hotel, West Gorton, Manchester, and has opened at the head of a resident company of artists Jackie Carlton, Alan Hayes, Mike Parker, Nell Shelley, ...

... Man for Princess Anne FOR THE FIRST time, a Royal light entertainment gala is to be held in the Isle of Man. HRH Princess Anne is to 9e guest of honour at a show presented jy Billy Marsh and Kenneth Earle of London Management at the Gaiety, Douglas on October 2. It is in aid of the ocal branch of the Order of St John. Those appearing are the Barron Knights, Bob Carolgees, Leslie Crow- ther, ...

... Weaknesses revealed in London NBT The Sleeping Beauty IT WAS over-ambitious of Northern Ballet Theatre to open at Sadler's Wells with The Sleeping Beauty, when a less revealing and more individually-tailored triple bill could have helped break down the dancers' obvious awe of London and familiarise them with the perils of a much smaller stage. As it was the company did itself less than ...

... ANN NUGENT watches intimate couples in silence RIVERSIDE STUDIOS Second Stride THE STRIDE has now become the British group for mature dancers, not, I hasten to add, for dancers who are past their prime, but for those who have cut their teeth with Rambert, London Contemporary Dance, Graham and other companies, and who have now added strength of purpose and wise awareness to their performance ...

... The other Samantha is finally foxed By ELIZABETH SWIFT WHEN IS Samantha Fox not Samantha Fox? When she's Samantha Foxx. ur to put it anotner way wnat ao you do when you are a young actress/ singer, complete with Equity card and work in some of the top shows around, and another girl with practically the same name as yours suddenly becomes a world-famous topless model? Samantha Foxx. a West ...

... Dispute looms over world's largest organ By BRIAN ATTWOOD THE NEWLY opened Hackney Empire could find itself in a row with the South Bank Polytechnic as the two battle to get their hands on Europe's largest musical organ. For five years the former Trocadero Wurlitzer has stood in the college where crowds of people including some who remember hearing it at is former Picca dilly site regularly ...