... Songs From A Locked Box BRISTOL AFTER the horrors of the Waco massacre in Texas, the world of the bizarre religious cult would seem to be fertile ground for an adventurous playwright with the contemporary touch. Uublin-bom Jane Buckler has cnosen it lor tnis cnaneng- ing piece, developed on a workshop basis by Public Parts Theatre Company and produced in association with the Bristol Old Vic at ...

... Yunnan Ensemble COVENT GARDEN MARKET ACTING as a cultural ambassador for Yunnan, the Yunnan Ensemble tours overseas performing traditional dances and music from the Chinese province's 25 minority races. Their programme claims that over six thousand folk dances many of which were created for weddings, funerals and the like have been recorded in recent years, and the group presents up to 20 of ...

... Bluebeard's Castle/Erwartung EDINBURGH MAIN FESTIVAL THE CHANGE of mood from ennui to angst, from depression to despair, which pervaded the sensibility of the early years of this century, is nowhere better expressed than in Bartok's Bluebeard's Castle and Schoenberg's Erwartung the two operas presented by the Canadian Opera Company for its European debut at the Edinburgh Festival. The ...

... Scottish Ballet 2 HARLOW A BREEZE through Prokovsky's Scarlatti and Friends-a slight ballet, danced in practice clothes, to introduce six of Scottish Ballet 2's dancers-was followed by two contrasting pas de deux. The first, from the 19th century romantic ballet. La Sylphide tured Victoria Willard as the elu sive sylph, and Robin Bernadet as the Scottish lad, James, coping well with the ...

... Hiawatha BlLLINGHAM THIS IS pure joy, colourful, exciting for all ages and a fitting (and overdue) stage tribute to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Actor-writer Kate Dove has captured the mood and feeling of a poem too often murdered, literally, in classroom readings. It s tair to say, and a great pity, tnat children, certainly our generations, think of it as a brain-numbing chant and chore. Kate ...

... The Old Curiosity Shop FOREST FORGE WATCHING performance of the opening song, A Very Singular Gentleman, Swanage Mowlem's audience doubtless pondered on the kind of fist to be made by five players portraying 17 interwoven characters in Dickens' 'magic reel' of encounters on the road. dui wnen action starts sucn is me ingenuity of Stewart Howson's adap tation and Karl Hibbert's directing that ...

... GREG FRANCIS originally formed the Memphis Belle Orchestra to appear in David I\ittnam's film Memphis Belle, recent ly shown on network television, and so delighted the director that he invited the band to play at the film's Royal Premiere, which was followed by an invitation to go to the American premiere. Francis then decided to exploit the obvious potential of the band and since then it has ...

... Anoraks unite! ASSEMBLY ROOMS Anorak of Fire THE TWO words have become virtually synonymous: anorak and trainspotter. The frumpy garment seems to sum up all that we believe about spotters outdated, quite searingly dull and just a little bit smelly. Jamie Holmes (aka Gus Gascoigne, trainspotter) panders to our every prejudice and pre sents Gus as a virginal, spotty Metallica fan with his ...

... Penetrator TRAVERSE THEATRE ANTHONY Neilson's study of contemporary masculinity begins with a booming voiceover describing a pornographic fantasy in graphic detail. The link between sex and violence is hammered home throughout the play but is hardly necessary. It is the deft and witty observation of how men relate to each other that impress es, and makes the external mechanisms of the play ...

... On Golden Pond CHESTER CHESTER-born Dilys Hamlett guest directed Ernest Thompson's idyllic On Golden Pond, at Chester Gateway. She showed unmistakable prowess creating a flawless production with a talented company: a play to give Chester audiences great pleasure during its October run. On Golden Pond tells the story of octogenarian Norman Thayer Jr and his wife Ethel, still enjoying each ...

... Graham to face inquiry over company collapse By BRIAN ATTWOOD CELEBRITIES agent Peter Graham will face an inquisition from the Official Receiver after an investigation was launched into the collapse of his company. Leading soap stars from Coronation Street, Brookside and Emmerdale were owed thousands of pounds when Graham closed the firm which had substantial debts. The case was so serious ...

... A feather in Chadwick's cap ANN NUGENT lets the bird speak for itself ROH The Firebird PROBABLY the title role in The Firebird is the greatest achievement of Fiona Chadwick's career to date. Though it is a role that she has danced in the past, this season she convinces us that Fokine's conception of this terious Dira s cnaracter ana move ment style have become so deeply embedded into her ...