... Simple, new and effective Touring Essential Scottish Opera Scottish Opera's small scale touring wing set off this spring with a new format. There were no snazzy sets or costumes, just four young singers with their musical director at the piano, and a couple of chairs. Essential Scottish Opera is an evening of 'highlights', some of the best known arias with a few less familiar ones tossed in. ...

... Voulez Vous Worthing If the presentation of nostalgia has evolved into a fascinating art form, as is now universally accepted, then the vintage Abba staging by Voulez Vous is the ulti mate expression of that genre. The range and commitment of this 70 minute non-stop show found no lack of response in a Worthing Pavilion audience which indulged in its own special brand of participation during ...

... Still waiting for a hit to happen Blackpool The Denny Laine Band If ever it had crossed his mind that crossing swords with Paul McCartney was not the shrewdest career move, if ever he'd felt maybe he bailed out of the Moody Blues just a hit or two too soon, that could have been the moment when Denny Laine walked out on to the stage of the Blackpool Tower Lounge. Billed as the rock survivor ...

... Clive chances prime move BY LISA VANOLI After five years away from the TV spotlight, Clive Owen has been lured back by a shady character from his home streets of south London Clive Owen leapt into the limelight when he took on the role of Stephen Crane in Chancer and he sustained the giddy heights with a series of diverse film and theatre roles. The rugged Coventry- born actor was overwhelmed ...

... L'elisir d'amore Belfast It may not be grand but to call it light would be to grossly undervalue both the work and performance of Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore by Opera Northern Ireland which was enjoyed for all too short a time at the Grand Opera House. A happy fusion of musical and acting talent conspired to evoke the charm, comedy and romance of this particular version of fairy tale romance. ...

... Glyn Kerslake Paignton With style, wit and abundant tal ent, Glyn Kerslake, escaping momentarily from Sunset Boulevard, entertained and enchanted a full house. Here is a good-looking young man able to sing, play the piano, compose his own songs and amuse his audi ence with droll asides. His repertoire included, as one would expect, songs from the shows, including a moving Empty Tables, Empty ...

... A Cavalcade of Comics Solihull After reviewing what seems to be thousands of vocalists during the past couple of years, and knowing by heart every word and every note of the Bodyguard, I just couldn't resist the invitation to the Land Rover Social Club on a very special evening with four of clubland s top comics as the line up. It was a venture never before staged by the club's head of ...

... A Swinging Affair King's Head If there's at least one thing the two stars of A Swinging Affair deserve credit for it's bravery. Punters in the main bar of a busy Islington pub, even at the relatively early hour of 6.30pm, are not an easy bunch to win over, particularly if nostalgic love songs are not their cup of tea. As for me, there's nothing I would like better, while enjoying a drink, ...

... Ernani Manchester Sachio Fujioka stepped into the breach to conduct the first two performances of the Royal Northern College of Music's full scale production of Verdi's opera Emani when Noel Davies had to step down. Both orchestra and conductor rose to the occasion and were in fine form. This has been restaged by Stefan Janski but still retains the designs of Maria Bjomson. who has set the ...

... Tosca Sevenoaks What a time they are taking, frets Tosca, as she awaits her lover Cavaradossi's mock execu tion. It was a thought that struck me forcefully halfway through the Love Duet of Act I. Conductor Jonathan Butcher dragged the score along in an excess of expressivity which ren dered the drama of Tosca a shapeless goo. Section followed section devoid of rhythmic momentum. The ...

... Vintage players never better Sonning The Best of British Good evening. As you can see most of us are vintage, says the ebullient Kenny Baker, bounding to the microphone. What vintage! Six exceptional musicians with a total of over 400 years experience between them and knowing all the tricks of the trade. Baker Don Lusher, Jack Pamell, togeth er with Roy Willox, Brian Lemon and Lennie Bush ...

... Forever in Blue Jeans Hayes Having seen an extract from this new commercial country and western offering, Forever in Blue Jeans, at the Xclusive Extravaganza showcase late last year, it was interesting to compare preview with premiere. In a showcase environment the excerpts from the production were required to be punchy and succinct. A variety of musical numbers were moulded together with ...