... THE FIRST production by the new National Theatre group of actors under the direction of Alan Ayck- bourn, Tons of Money, opens at the Lyttelton on November 6. Simon Cadell, making his NT debut, Polly Adams and Michael Gambon have the leading roles. VANESSA FORD Productions starts its biggest-ever theatrical venture next week, when The Importance of Being Earnest, Julius Caesar and Shakespeare ...

... SADLER'S WELLS Royal Ballet return to Sadler's Wells on December 30 in a season to mark the 40th anniversary of the founding of the company under its original name of Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet. The season will open with David Bintley's The Snow Queen and will include several works created specially for the company, including Solitaire and Pineapple Poll. On January 15 there will be a ...

... (OUTOFTOWN ABERDEEN Arts Centre The Lass Wi' The Muckle Mou Theatre Alba His Maiestv's Not Now Darling' AYR Gaiety 1986 Gaiety Whir BANG OR Thealr Gwynedd The Patenl uiix.e Hobbery (23-25. Molecule Theatrel BARNET Old Bull Arts Centre Up In Smoke (26, 27. Covent Garden Community Theatre) BASILDON Towngate- Blood Sweat and Tears (25-27, Hull Truck T/C) BASINGSTOKE Haymarket And A Nightingale ...

... THE OPENING DATE for King Lear at the Olivier has been set for December 11. In addition to Anthony Hopkins as Lear, Anna Massey, Suzanne Bertish, Miranda Foster, Michael Bryant, Philip Locke, Bill Nighy, Fred Pearson and Roshan Seth will be in principal roles. David Hare directs. THE STAGE VERSION of the televi sion comedy series 'Allo 'Allo, by Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft, is to open at the ...

... AMANDA JONES has taken up the position of press officer for the Ro\al Ballet, joining from Birmingham Hip podrome, where she was press officer for three years. Her first post was at the Playhouse, Derby, where she went on completing an arts administration course at Leicester Polytechnic. BALLARD BERKELEY has been elected president of the Green Room i Club in succession to the late Clifford j ...

... ACCIDENTAL DEATH OF AN ANARCHIST by Dario Fo, adapted by Gavin Richards from a translation by Gillian Hanna. Royal Lyceum, Edinburgh, September 12 to October 4. Cast: John Bert, Kenneth Bryans, Alexander Morton, Jim Byars, Penny Banton, Stewart Preston. Director: Ian Wooldridgc. Designer: Colin MacNeil. Lighting: Stella Goldie. 0 AMADEUS by Peter Shaffer. Theatr Clwyd, Mold, September 12 to ...

... FOLLOWING Jack Phipps' appointment as Controller of Touring at the Arts Council, the department has now been restructured. Jodi Myers is named Deputy Controller of Touring (with responsibility for drama), Stephen Reveil is Touring Officer/Opera and Dance and Roula Konzotis becomes Marketing OfficerTouring. KIT THACKER has been appointed associate director of the Horseshoe Theatre Company, ...

... [OUTOFTOWN ABERDEEN Arts Centre Hamlet (from 9, ATC) His Majesty's The Old Man of Lochnagar Whirligig T/C ASHTON-UNDER-LYNE Tameside Superted and the Comet of Spooks AYR Gaiety 1986 Gaiety Whirl BASILDON Towngate Confusions (11-13, Basildon T'C) BASINGSTOKE Haymarfcat Fiddler on the Roof am BATH Thaatre Royal The Voyage of the Dawn Treader Ifrom 9) BELFAST Lyric Lady Windermere's Fan (from 13) ...

... THE GINGERBREAD LADY by Neil Simon. Repertory, Dundee. Cast: Rachel Herbert, Michael Cot- terill, Paul Samson, Jenna Russell, Sandy Welch, Anne Downie. Direc tor: Robert Robertson. Designer: Monika Nisbet. THE HAPPIEST DAYS OF YOUR LIFE by John Dighton. Grand, Swansea to September 27. Cast: Gwyn Beech, Leader Hawkins, Stuart Hulse, Robert Tunstall, Men- na Trussler, Maggie Dean, Caroline Berry ...

... EILEEN ATKINS full of grace as Tuesday's Child at Theatre Royal, Stratford East. THURSDAY, SEPT. 11 WORLDS APART by Jose Triana, adapted by Peter Whelan from a literal translation by Kate Littlewood. The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon, Management: Royal Shakespeare Com pany. Cast: Janet McTeer, Rosalind Boxall, Geraldine Fitzgerald, Philip Franks, Max Gold, Henry Goodman, David Haig, Amanda ...

... DURING August, the programmes with the highest audi ences according to BARB were: Individuals viewing millions 1 EastEnders,Tue26thAug/Sun3IstAug,BBC-l 19.35 2 EastEnders, Thu 21st Aug/Sun 24th Aug, BBC-1 18.90 3 EastEnders, Thu 14th Aug, Sun 17th Aug,BBC-l 18.10 4 EastEnders, Thu 19th Aug/Sun 24th Aug, BBC-1 18.00 5 EastEnders,Tuel2thAug/Sunl7thAug,BBC-l 17.15 6 EastEnders, Thu 7th Aug/Sun ...

... THURSDAY, SEPT 25 THE RHINEGOLD by Wagner Royal Opera House. Management: Welsh National Opera. Cast: Anne Williams-King, Penelope Walker, Anne Collis, Eirian Davies, Deborah Stuart-Roberts, Patricia Bardon, John Harris, Richard Morton, Phillip Joll, Nicholas Folwell, Barry Mora, William Mackie, Sean Rea. Conductor: Richard Armstrong. Producer: Goran Jarvefelt. Sponsor: Amoco. Press: Shelagh ...