... John and Ian take over TWO OF London's most innova tive small scale theatres, the Almeida and the Half Moon, have appointed new artistic directors to handle their forthcoming prog rammes. Actor/director Ian McDiarmid takes over at the Almeida in August, succeed ing Pierre Audi, who helped found the theatre and leaves for a post in the Netherlands. McDiarmid has previous ly been employed as ...

... Carlisle theatre to close ONE OF CARLISLE'S principal theatres, Stanwix Arts Theatre, is to close following the county coun cil's decision to reduce its budget by £22,000. Stanwix Arts Theatre is part of the Cumbria College of Art and Design, and is said to have successfully served both the community and the surround ing South West part of Scotland. But a few months ago the council decided ...

... Games, set and hatch! Sheffield's plans for touring venue get underway By FAY SWEET AFTER spending more than 20 years in the dark, Sheffield's Lyceum Theatre is scheduled for re-opening as a major touring venue. The £12 million project gets under way in March and is due for completion in 1991 when the city will celebrate with its largest ever arts festival to coincide with the World Student ...

... Feast at the round table MARJORIE BATES MURPHY is left satisfied by the LIVERPOOL Camelot THE FLEETING wisp of glory that was Camelot can be seen in all its measured brilliance, under the plume of director Ian Kcllgren, who has spared no pains to present the court of King Arthur. The lamenting, fey quality of the tale is skilfully woven and each thread (or player) responds to the ...

... Sticky Fingers KINGS HEAD CONCERNED WITH two extremes--squatters and admen Michael Ellis, who has written both words and music and did himself once work as a graphic artist, starts off with Tameka (Amanda Symonds) and Maxwell (Alan Cooke) returning to their squat after a night out to celebrate the first night of Maxwell's play at meir local nns v^enirc. More than a bit the worse for wear, ...

... Agency bookkeeper pleads guilty to theft BOOKKEEPER Helena Sagar-Roche, who fled to the United States after stealing thousands of pounds from a top entertainment agency, pleaded guilty in the Old Bailey to three charges each of theft and deception. Judge Dems Paiba ordered Sagar- Roche to serve 240 weeks of community service for the offences, committed while she was employed by Leading Artists ...

... The Adventures of Robyn Hood DRILL HALL ROBYN with a 'Y' tells it all. This all-girl panto features an abundance of amusing transformations as many of the original characters cross the gender barrier. So, Robyn (Nicola Kathrens) becomes a handsome, spirited girl; Little John becomes Big Joan adept at staff and swordplav; and Friar Tuck becomes the Prioress Tuckburgh whose culinary ...

... Wonderful world of make-believe GRELLE WHITE on an enchanting adaptation of an old favourite WATFORD The Patchwork Girl ofOz SHE IS A 'crazy quilt', a floppy, cotton-stuffed ragdoll who comes to life with a dose of magic lifepowder an unknown character from the magic land of Oz, who has suddenly come to life with Adrian Mitchell's brand new musical The Patchwork Girl. And high time, too. This ...

... Stinkfoot BLOOMSBURY WITH WORDS and music by Vivian Stanshall, ex-Bonzo Dog Band leader who also co-directs with Andy Arnold and plays God, this comic opera with cast of ten and 9-piece band is a real original one-off. The music is varied, the book whim sical, surreal, funny, satirical and de bunking in turn. It's theme is the mediocre and mundane those pooh- poohed bits of English heard over ...

... South Bank Paarty! PURCELL ROOM THE PUBLICITY for the Purcell Room's seasonal offering for the seven to 12-year-olds made it difficult to find a suitable partner for the occasion. If you want to unwrap the biggest parcel in the world, cover yourself in peanut butter and dance until your feet beg you to stop--this is your kind of show said the blurb. My daughter, Catherine, was intri gued, ...

... Years of disruption for West End WESTMINSTER city council has approved planning recommendations for a new London Electricity Board sub station in Leicester Square which will mean years of disruption for the West End. The local authority gave its backing on condition that terms for possible compensation for traders and other residents are agreed. LEB officials said the work would start in March ...

... Semele I shall adore Frank Granville Barker on a spectacular celebration of the first great English opera ROYAL OPERA Semete COVENT GARDEN could hardly have chosen a happier piece for the Christmas season than this revival of Semele, which was first staged six years ago to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the opening of the first Covent Garden Theatre. John Copley's extravagant production ...