... IT'S MAGIC SINCE the opening of his full evening show at Cardiff just over a fortnight ago, Milbourne Christopher has garnered some excellent publicity. At Bristol last week by means of an incredible feat of mental magic not only ditf he add to his laurels, but was instrumental in 10 old-age pensioners each re ceiving a gift of two cwts. of coal! It came about in this way. Whilst Milbourne ...

... FLOW GENTLY SWEET AFTON C*OR the second Younger Generation presentation (Friday July 7 Granada) Patrick Garland had written a more substantial piece than was th case for last week's play. But these seaside evoca tions, with little character spots for the cast, do not add up to a satisfactory dramatic offering. And the feeling of having seen it all before will not be aided by the use of the ...

... MIDLANDS FESTIVAL OF BALLET ALTHOUGH a worthy ges ture by ABC (Sunday July 16) to put on this hour of all-star ballet, the result was too remote and too epi sodic. As the production was taped direct from the stage of the Coventry Theatre, the whole thing had a filmed theatre look. But even so, among the impressive capsule performances those of Andre Prokovsy and Colette Mar- chand made an ...

... npSVENTNOl BOULEVARD means street of M. flowers. This I am told as we speed along Moscow's very wide streets towards the famous circus and I am beset by the melancholy of memories, for I was young when I made its first acquaintance it was our first Conti nental engagement and I remember how proud so very proud my brother and I were, yet a little afraid, of meet ing in open competition ...

... Wedding Bells Joe baker, of baker and Doug las, was married on Wednesday hat at Caxioa Hall to Clarissa Roberts, choreographer. They met two years ago and have recently worked in Australia together, where Miss Roberts did the choreograph) for the Nat Jackley show. Glamour Backing Charles Blackwell, young musical director, is having variety in his work. He is auditioning singers for wtMt is to ...

... BARROW audiences lapped up the situation comedy of A Dogs Life, which had its premifcre at Her Majesty's, Barrow, on Tuesday. mis is tne intra piay ny narrow- born Ron Watson, who drew upon his easily recognisable fund of Northern humour to provide a per sonal touch to the action. Set in the home of a newly retired neswagent, Ben Carter, the play revolves round two things a pregnant poodle ...

... Spoiled By The Last Scene by JOHN PRICE Tlie programme reviews AFTER THE PARTY Screened: Thursday, July 7 A ssociated- Rediff usion. A PLAY that ends in the air is to me the same as picking up a book and finding the last page missing. An author could well argue the case by pro claiming: Draw your own conclusions' But this sort of attitude has always struck me as being the ultimate in ...

... ARTISTS LIKE PLAYING YORKSHIRE EDITED BY MOLLIE ELLIS MANY big names in variety are being booked by social clubs in South Yorkshire, and performers are finding new avenues by which they can exercise their talents. There are such as Sandy Powell, who comes from Rawmarsh at Rotherham, Donald Peers, the Dale Sisters, Derek Roy, and many others. Most of the clubs are in the mining villages, ...

... ?V aaaar The Institute of Magicians held a day of magic at ibeir headquar ters, the Abbey Community Centre, on Saturday last. After toe opening ceremony by Harold Taylor there followed lec tures by Val Andrews and John Derris, close-up Ktaions of mack by Tony Blitz, John Messenger and Tom H.i'-k In i' Den, Val Andrews ?Ml ley (represented by Ken liivn>c; ocmonstiated various cfTecU for sale. ...

... THREE LIVE WIRES 'T'HE idea behind this comedy show (Monday July 10 A-R) uses characters that look suspiciously like those used in the Army Game. Medwin is again leader of his little group, accompanied by Bernard Fox George Roder ick, and Derek Benfield. The adventures follows a basically similar pattern to the Army series, with the same kind of trite little episodes. It's a pity that Michael ...

... 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 ...