... Equity fights for agency cash By HELEN GOULD EQUITY has vowed to fight on for dozens of performers which it claims are owed tens of thousands of pounds by crashed London agency Jo Gilbert Associates. In what is though to be the first case of its kind Jo Gilbert bosses, Joanne Sinden and Judith Gilbert, were last week successfully prosecuted by the Department of Employment for failing to pay ...

... The Thieving Magpie LEEDS THE SOLE reason for welcoming centenaries is if they open up perspectives to reveal hidden treasures. Such is certainly the case with the admirable Opera North's celebratory offering of Rossini's The Thieving Magpie, even in a version indiciously cut to meet the imperatives of tour- ing. What a superb score it is. Rossini raises the semiseria con ventions to ...

... Aida OPERA EAST OPhRA East are a small but very talented company who are touring round Britain an ambitious and brave production of Verdi's opera, Aida. I was able to see it at the Grand Theatre in Blackpool and was impressed by the high quality of the singing by everyone concerned. I call it a brave production because there arc only 1 1 members of the cast who play the principal roles and ...

... Jay admits Blackpool circus loss By ROBIN DUKE IMPRESARIO Peter Jay has revealed he lost £300,000 staging Blackpool Tower Circus last summer. We expected to be about half down on previous yean, but it was a disaster, he admitted on the eve of his Pleasure Beach Superdome Circus starting its second season. And Jay blames the financial u-tum entirely on the loss of ani mals from his Tower show ...

... Chrysalis to play again By HELEN GOULD CHRYSALIS has unveiled plans to return as a major player in the music industry within the next two years, despite selling-off the remainder of its recording arm to competitors Thorn EMI last year. In its interim statement the Chrysalis Group reported a slowdown in its losses, ending the six month period to February £987,000 down one third of the pre-tax ...

... Windsor in mystery Carry On 'THE launch of a major Blackpool summer show carried on without one of its headliners. Just days before North Pier's Wot A Carry On In Blackpool opened, actress Barbara Windsor turned her back on the show and its pho- tocall. After a number of l delays, embarrassed publicity officer for the brand new pro duction, Clifford Elson, explained that her absence was due to ...

... Local deal sparks hope RISING bands who are finding it tough to get deals from cash-strapped record companies, should turn to their local firms for sponsorship, claims former Nik Kershaw and Bros manager Mickey Modern. Modern, of Elephant Management, has just won the backing of dnnks company Taunton Cider for his up and coming rock outfit The Gift. Despite ten years of gigging, the Taumon ...

... Davidson battles his own union JIM Davidson is facing an embarrassing legal row with Equity over Clodagh Roger's sister, backing singer Lavinia Rogers. The Irith star's sister is alleging that she had been booked by Effective Agency and Management Ltd, of which Davidson Is managing director, for a summer season. The company disputes the booking. Solicitors for both sides are said to be ...

... Receivers go into Brian Shaw Management LtAUlNU showbusiness company Brian Shaw Management has been put into receivership by its main creditor, Lloyds Bank. The firm which promoted many of the best known touring names in light entertain ment including, Hale and Pace, Skellem and Stilgoe, Richard Digance and Danny La Rue is reported to have debts running to hundreds of thousands of pounds. ...

... Pavilions must cut staff PLYMOUTH'S new Pavilions entertain ment centre must axe staff in order to head off soaring losses after less than eight months in operation, writes Brian Attwood. The mammoth venue was opened last year at a cost of nearly £30 million, but is already in serious trouble with bumper trading losses and crippling rates bills. Trade losses now stand at £800,000. It also has ...

... Lyn Paul in third fight over recording rights BY HELEN GOULD LYN Paul, one-time frontwoman for the New Seekers, is fighting her third legal battle over the hit seventies band's rehashed hits. In-what appears to be a repeat of a row only three years ago, Paul has dis covered that compact discs are being sold with a picture of the seventies line-up on the cover, although the songs have been re ...