... Queen Elizabeth Hall Pre-publicity for the London premiere of Mark-Anthony Tumage's nine-part suite had suggested a harrowing experience in prospect. The title section was inspired by a disturbing painting by Francis Bacon, other elements were said to evoke drug culture (these made more relevant by the death from a drugs overdose of the composer's brother) and issues of urban alienation. ...

... Faultless trio T JGHT ENT Kilmarnock Valerie Dunbar Show This Palace show consisted of a well selected three-handed bill which worked faultlessly. Valerie Dunbar has been pop ular in Scotland for a number of years. She has a very pleasing soprano voice with a personality to match. She did the whole sec ond half accompanied on stage by Ian Clark on piano and Brian Black in the pit on electronic ...

... Peggy Sue's Rock and Roll Showbar Blackpool Elvis Presley is alive and well and (usually) hovering above the stage at the Central Pier. He is in good company, too Gene Vincent, Dion, the Vemon Girls, Connie Francis, Lord Rockingham and even the Beverley Sisters all take their turn in the latest incarnation of what was once the end of the pier the atre, more recently Maggie May's and now Peggy ...

... Mark Walker Cleveleys A handful of years ago he was the country's youngest television game show host, having leapt to fame via comedy impression series Copycats. Mark Walker was in the right place at the right time and thanks to a combination of talent, looks and the press coverage that comes when you dad, Roy Walker, is already c famous comic, the work appeared to be his for the taking. So ...

... Magical Musical Mystery Show Worthing/Touring Five decades of the best of pop music were represented in various moods and idioms when Barry Walker presented his Magical Musical Mystery Show at the Pavilion, taking in the whole spectrum from Abba to The Phantom of the Opera. beginning witn tne classic Unchained Melody, the journey followed through to the sixties with those hits popularised by ...

... Ray Alexander Quartet Barbican Foyer Ray Alexander is a veteran vibesman, a New Yorker who has worked with the best but never quite received the acclaim he deserves. He visits Britain regularly, and always impresses with the sheer gusto of his playing, his enthusiasm and his tendency to chat and tell lousy jokes. The Sunday midday spot in the Barbican's foyer usually attracts a good crowd, ...

... Jim Bailey Green Room, Cafe Royal I cannot truly say that while watching Jim Bailey perform as Judy Garland I ever become so entranced that I believe I am seeing the genuine article, but there is no denying I have been thoroughly entertained. Bailey really is an unusual act, for there is never any acknowledgement of the fact he is impersonating a musical leg end. Instead, he completely takes ...

... The Russ Stevens Theatre of Illusion Blackpool Having left the safety of seven successive seasons in the Blackpool Pleasure Beach Horseshoe Showbar's magic floorshow Mystique and survived a summer at the Blackpool Grand Theatre, master illusionist Russ Stevens is this year hoping to pull off his biggest ever feat. Having converted Rigby Road's somewhat ill-fated Royal Pavilion into the ...

... A Night at the Music Hall Isle of Wight This Shanklin Theatre early season show pulled in the crowds - and it was easy to see why. Director Charles Burden had carefully worded the title to span the years up until the last war, hence one of the most popular sections, Sones That Won the War. Another key factor was the well balanced company, giving youth and experi ence the chance to perform ...

... lark Diamond Presents Blackpool Jack Diamond is the funniest man in Blackpool and once a week he casually takes to the 'stage' of the Alpine Hotel on Waterloo Road, South Shore, to entertain an audience of no more than 150 diners, guests, holidaymakers, fans and fellow entertainers wnne introducing a handful of local performers. He modestly claims he has never had an act and that he is only ...

... Shades of Shearing Leamington Spa Superb acoustics and the intimate setting of the Royal Pump Room in Leamington Spa were just made for listening to Shearing music. Add to this, five very professional and highly talented musicians and you have a musical experience not to be forgotten. Sponsored by the Musicians' Union, this welt-attended jazz charity concert was part of the National Music ...

... The World of Jim Reeves Worthing/Touring There was dancing in the aisle at the Pavilion as Bob Hinton revived memories of the legendary American performer Jim Reeves, who died tragically in an air crash in 1964 when the plane he was piloting was hit by a freak storm while over Nashville Tennessee. After his five-piece band had played him in with a rollicking ver sion of Home Grown Merry-Go- ...