... Kissing God HAMPSTEAD THE DEVISED method of play writing, which served Phil Young so well in Crystal Clear, does not work as satisfactorily in kissing God. This deals with another problem, that of drug addiction, which begins with an almost masterful building-up of suspense, as we meet Amy, a ballet dancer who is recovering from an injury and temporarily working as a life-class model, ...

... The Royal Brothers own up to several cases of fiddling the DHSS TWO PROFESSIONAL clubland singers have been fined a total of £600 after admitting social security fiddles. A North-East court heard how the DHSS had paid brothers James and Keven Branley nearly £730 while they were working as full-time singers tour ing the region's clubs. Both men known on stage as The Royal Brothers were said to ...

... Ex-busker gets a card from the boys in blue BRITAIN'S most arrested enter tainer, the former London busker Harrv Hollis, who lives in Scarbor ough, received a Christmas card out of the blue from the boys in blue. Harry was a member of the famous Road Stars street busking group before he retired from London's longest run ning 'roadshow' more than two decades ago. They were arrested more than ...

... Back on the road with unnamed album SINGER Joan Armatrading will play her first major tour for two years early next month. The last tour took her to all parts of the world following the success of her album The Key. A new, as yet unnamed, album of material which was recently recorded at Battery Studios is scheduled for release to coincide with this year's tour. The British shows start at ...

... Nostalgic look at the old time musical makers by ALASDAIR STEVEN THE KING'S Head Theatre Club in Islington has just opened one of its nostalgic looks at musicals of yesteryear: with Mr Cinders and other such shows it has built up an enviable reputation for providing a platform for the small scale musical. It is unfortunate that, with one or two exceptions, there is nowhere in London that can ...

... The curse of Aladdin has taken its toll at Marlowe Theatre A fated panto with a jinx By JOHN NURDEN THE MYSTERIOUS jinx of Aladdin has taken its toll on a pan to cast. Since the £100,000 production started at Canterbury's new Marlowe Theatre, two star performers have been immobilised by accidents and a barman has been found hanged. Producer David Lee said: Aladdin has always been known ...

... Member of famous family in fatal car crash A MEMBER of a famous entertain ment family has died in a New Year's Eve car crash. Police believe 60-vear-old Patrick Prendergast may have suffered a fatal heart attack seconds before his car careered out of control off the A 1079 road at Grimston, North Yorkshire. Prendergast, of Fenwick Lane, Ful- ford, managed the Clifton Bingo Club in York. His ...

... Cockney singing and good nosh By SYDNEY VAUNCEZ VARIETY Club's Tent 52 annual ball in Jersey had a distinctly cockney flavour. Held at the Hotel de France to celebrate the raising of another £100,000 for local charities in 1984, the cockney theme of the celebrations was in honour of the retiring Chief Barker, Philip Crane. Lord Lilford takes over for 1985. Popular cockney comedian Charlie ...

... Cork Theatre holds back the doors desoite a record loss 1 EVEN THE return of Danny La Rue to Cork last year could not prevent the city's Opera House from reporting a record loss of £147.000, more than double the deficit of the previous year. But a defiant Donal Crosbie, chair man of the board, told the annual meeting that the company would con tinue to take risks and put on shows which would ...

... The corn will be high as an elephant's eve THE SOUND of music will be alive in the springtime at Black pool's Grand Theatre with no fewer than five large scale musicals be tween March and May. The melodic months start with a brand new musical Cheers Mrs Worthington which visits the resort for the week of March 25 prior to a London run. Among the cast are Diana Coupland, Suzanne Dando and ...

... Pop goes the council funds WOOING COUNCILS for backing money seems to be the trend among pop groups. Merseyside County Council has loaned £1 ,500 to local bands to record a new compilation album Jobs for the Boys. Ronnie Flood of Mersey sound Magazine persuaded the council to cough up the cash so that 14 local groups could get their share of the spotlight. Two thousand copies of the disc ...

... Refusinq to exceed the limit OVER 100 TICKET holders were turned away from a show starring The Merseybeats at Blighty's Club in Farn- worth, Manchester. Police confirmed that there had been a large crowd trying to get into the club. A Fire Department spokesman said that fire licence conditions were not being breached, but the management had decided that the limits had been reached and no more ...