... Hitler Dances THE cast of this production cannot be praised highly enough. Given a dated and gloomy play which contains neither a new message nor an old one presented in a new or thought provoking way, this company has shown itself to be talented, energetic and dedicated. Hitler Dances is about the evil and pain that is war, and tends to present this evil by means of a series of gratu ...

... PETER HEPPLE watches the raising of the popular Show Boat and declares it still shipshape after 60 years PALLADIUM Show Boat FAR MORE people will remember the 1951 film version and the 1971 West End revival of Show Boat than the 1927 original, in its day regarded as startlingly innovative, largely because it touched on--it would be too much to say tackled--the relationship between blacks and ...

... Le Huron (Gretry) THE 1990 Buxton Festival celebrates the genius of Voltaire. Hence the choice of Gretry's charming opera, Le Huron, forged from Voltaire's L'Ingenu, a pre-Tarzan tale of the noble savage confronting the hypocrisies of Western sophistication. The opera is also staging post in the evolution of French opera-comique. Dr David Charlton's riveting essay expands upon this in the ...

... Desperate plea for Leeds Varieties CAMPAIGNERS fighting to save Leeds Victorian music hall the City Varieties from private developers have sent out a desperate cry to variety stars for their help in raising funds for roof repairs. A public outcry has erupted in the city since last week when coun cil arts chief, Bernard Atha, warned in The Stage that the authority may be forced to sell off the ...

... The tender Trap THIRTY EIGHT-years-old and still gripping stuff. The Mousetrap recently completed its 15,817th performance, before announcing a change of cast this week. Richard Digby-Day becomes the 20th director to take charge of the world's longest running show since the first performance was staged on November 25, 1952. During three decades it has been watched by an estimated 8.5 million ...

... Hot Ice extra Blackpool's annual ice show is to have an extra three week boost next year. The Pleasure Beach Hot Ice Britain's first ever and longest running ice spectacular will open next season three weeks earlier than ever before. The decision to open Hot Ice '91 on May 26 is due to the success of this year's show with its new look formula of six matinees plus six evening shows a week. It ...

... Tennents LAughs in Dublin THEY'RE laughing, not crying, in their beer in Dublin these days. Tennents LA, the low alcohol lager, is providing substantial sponsorship for efforts to establish an alternative comedy circuit in the city. The brewery has dubbed its spon sorship Tennents LAugh. A spokes woman explained: Tennents LA is new in Dublin and so is alternative comedy. The project is an ...

... Giselle ROH WHEN Stephen Jefferies is cast as Hilarion in Giselle, the ballet becomes a genuine love triangle. Unlike most Hilarions, who are content to play the role for its stylised gesture, his movements have a sense of realism. Jefferies's Hilarion is not having a lingering love affair with the ballet's 150 year old 'origins, does not lean on history for its sentimentality; rather it ...

... Comic in cash row with Virgin By HELEN GOULD COMEDIAN Lennie Windsor, who abandoned his show when he suffered a soaking at the hands of Richard Branson, has called in Equity after the Virgin empire boss allegedly balked at paying his bill. The multi-millionaire booked Windsor's spoof game show for a company party at Torquay's Palace Hotel. But the comic called it a night when Branson, dressed ...

... O'Brien tells Horror Show to rock off THE AUTHOR of the cult musical, The Rocky Horror Show, has banned a disco version-two years after it was launched, writes George Dearsley. Kitsch guru Richard O'Brien's deci sion has cost dance troupe organiser, Lee Howard at least £10,000 in over heads after scores of shows had to be cancelled. Lee, 20, onginally set up the Rocky Horror Disco Show with ...

... Club classic SINCE its refurbishment in December 1989, Wokingham Town Football Club has contin ued to offer light entertainment to the residents of the Berkshire town. Booked from the end of November until January 1991, female singing comedy duo, Livewire, are the Christ mas attraction with most perfor mances already sold out. Seating up to 160, the venue, run by club manager Roy Merryweather, ...

... Rats change the guard A PRINCE among rats. No insult intended to Mrs Wind sor's youngest, PRINCE ED WARD was guest of honour for the Grand Order of Water Rats annual gala board at the Grosvenor House Hotel when DAVID LODGE Chief Rat for 1990 handed over power to his newly elected successor WYN CALVIN. Awards went to Nicholas Lyndhurst, star of Only Fools and Horses, who was chosen as show- ...