... This is the opposition to ITV's Super channel The main rival to ITV's Super- channel will, to begin with, be Rupert Murdoch's Sky Chan nel now being received by over five million homes in Britain and in twelve other European countries. But Sky buys a lot of cheap old material, as can be seen from the schedule, and continues to lose money. Sky shows drama and action series, films, comedy, sport ...

... FRIDAY, JAN 3 LA TRAVIATA by Verdi. Grand. Leeds. Management: Opera North. Cast: Natalia Rom (Helen Field), Susan Lees, Pauline Thulborn, Adrian Mar tin, Donald Maxwell, Philip Mills, Stephen Dowson, John Gilbert. Con ductor: John Pryce-Jones. Producer: Francois Rochaix. Designer: Jean- Claude Maret. Lighting: Jean-Philiprx Roy. Choreography: Terry John Bates. ASHES by David Rudkin. Village ...

... DOUG LUCIE'S play Progress, a success at the Bush in 1984, opens at the Lyric, Hammersmith on February 12, with Diana Quick and Mike Gwilym in the leading roles. David Hayman directs. SCOTTISH OPERA is presenting a new production, jointly with Opera North, of Verdi's II Trovatore at the Theatre Royal, Glasgow on January 22. Directed by Graham Vick and con ducted by Graeme Jenkins, it has ...

... Arts Council training awards NICHOLAS BARTER has announced that he will be leaving the Unicorn Theatre tor Children, based at the Arts, at the beginning of July. He joined Unicorn as associate director in 1977 and later became artistic director. JEREMY ISAACS, chief executive of Channel 4 Television, has become a member ot tne board ot directors of the Royal Opera House. SARAH WONNACOTT, ...

... OUT OF TOWN ABERDEEN Hr> Meiesty's Dick Whrtiington ALDERSHOT PrincM Hall Dick Whittlngton ASHTON UIMDEH-LYME Tameaide Cinderella AYR Gaiety Cinderella BANGOR Theatr Gvynedd Panto Newydd Sbon BASILOON Towngate Alice in Wonderland BATH Theatre Royal Jack and the Beanstalk BELFAST Grand Opera House Seven Brides for Sevei Brothers BEXMLL-ON-SEA O* La Wan Pavilion Goldilocks and the Threi Bears ...

... Naughty nights banned at northern club TWO WOMEN strippers were forced to escape through a rear window after they over he ated more than 200 club regu lars. New management at the County Durham social club have put a ban on any future naughty nights and say they will resign if the randy regulars do not accept the deci sion. Chaos erupted at the Bright Steels Social Club in Norton-on-Derwent ...

... PRODUCTION NEWS WILLIAM GASKILL, who First directed at the Royal Court in 1957, returns to direct Women Beware Women on February 6. This is a new version of Thomas Middleton's tragedy written by Howard Barker. The cast includes Nigel Davenport, Gary Oldman, Maggie Steed and Joanne Whalley. ROWAN ATKINSON returns to the West End in The New Revue, which opens at the Shaftesbury on March 7, ...

... For the week from Monday December 16, to Sunday December 22, 1986 The ratings are produced by AGB (Audits of Great Britain) for BARB (Broadcasters Audience Research Board). Networks Regions Breakfast Shares Reach Individuals nn/-> i viewing BIJL-1 (millions) 1 EastEnders, Thu/Sun 21.25 2 EastEnders, Tuc/Sun 19.35 3 Only Fouls And Horses, rpt 15.05 4 JustGood Friends, rpt 13.60 5 Juliet Bravo ...

... THEATRE WEEK THURSDAY, JAN 9 THE LITTLE CLAY CART, adapted from the story by Shudraka. Arts to February 1. Management: Tara Arts Group. Cast: Bhaskar, Yogesh Bhatt, Sudha Bhuchar, Ayub Khan Din, Re- zaul Kabir, Nizwar Karanji, Naushaba Khan, Mala Sikka. Director: Jatinder Verma. Assistant director: Arti Prashar. Designer: Ann Hubbard. Choreography: Shobana Jeyasingh. Lighting: Paul Armstrong. ...

... REGIONAL PRODUCTIONS BEECHAM.Gate, Dublin, January 13 to 25. Cast: Timothy West, Max Harvey. THE MERCHANT OF VENICE by William Shakespeare. Haymarket Studio, Leicester, January 15 to Febru ary 1, then February 24 to March 15. Cast includes: Buki Armstrong, John Baxter, Michael Bray, Hilary Dawson, David Fielder, Stephen Jameson, Alex andra Mathie. Director: Michael Joyce. Designer: Stephanie ...

... Sky Channel (UK), 16 hours a day TV 5 (France), 3 hours a day Sat 1 and 2 (Germany), 10 hours a day .General Teleclub (Switzerland), 8 hours a day (mainly films) Entertainment RTL-Plus (Luxembourg), 5 hours a day NRK TV Norge (Norwegian) Music Box (UK), 18 hours a day Music Videos Screensport(UK),6hoursaday Sport Premiere (UK), 9 hours a day Mirrorvision (UK), 9 hours a day _ Films Sat 3 ...

... Lights go down on bright spark Debbie ACTRESS Debbie Norman has joined the ranks of people who have at some time or other thought, I wish I hadn't said that. Just 25 minutes into the Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch pantomime Cinderella, in which she stars, Baron Hardup, was serenading her 1 with the lines Never lose sight of the speck of light at the end of the tunnel. It's burning bright. ...