... Candle in the Wind Manchester Candle in the Wind purports to be a tribute to the memory of Diana, Princess of Wales, but it certainly does not do justice to her given that she was such a strong supporter of quality entertainment. Claiming to be a compilation of her favourite music and ballet excerpts, the National Festival Singers and the English Dance Company perform what appears to be a ...

... BMHS Annual Ball Marriott Hotel, London The British Music Hall Society kicked off its annual bash with a lavish dinner and top table guests included Danny La Rue, and the gags poured forth from the likes of Roy Hudd with showman John Roscoe providing the toasts. Tightly put together and well costumed, the cabaret was more of a slick floorshow. Billed as Mr Personality, Kim Smith is a jovial ...

... Christmas Variety Christchurch Produced by performance poet Anne Lydon, this entertainment at the Regent Centre provided an opportunity for young professionals from club and hotel cabaret to gain experience in playing near-capacity theatre. Hosting the show, glam ourous, ravervhaired Lydon unselfishly restricted herself to just one poem astute comedy verse concerning the trials of male/female ...

... A Winter Wonderland Blackpool Les Miserables might not be exactly the spirit of Christmas past, present or future but it is certainly more where female impersonator Jordan Rivers feels at home than when jingling his bells dressed as a Sandra Claus and whizzing through a medley of festive favourites. Blackpool's town centre Music Hall Tavern has dipped its toe in the Christmas show mar ket ...

... Extra delights Royal Albert Hall Alegria Stripped down to its essentials, Alegria is just a circus. But it is the extra toppings that make it an experience, practically the ultimate live show, a combination of all those things that have proved winners in the past- Disney-like fantasy, the Gladiators, hi-tech lighting and sound employed to their highest degree and a musi cal score by Rene ...

... Vocal girls are tops The three Yorkshire girls who make up Girl Nation are proving a big club filler on the circuit, and also making their presence felt in pastures new. They enjoyed success on TV's The Big, Big Talent Show, and have been kept very busy work ing holiday centres as well as clubs. They are looking forward to more work at Butlin's, where they can enjoy working with a live band, ...

... Striving to show off new talents Croydon Barrymore Live Barrymore Live is an apt show title, because nobody could be more live than Michael Barrymore, working the audience at the Fairfield Hall from every inch of the stage and often out in the He opened with the song I Don't Know Why and then darted into all manner of comic antics. There were larger than life skits on This Is Your Life, ...

... Alexander O'Neal Norwich One of America's coolest soul singers strode confidently on to the Theatre Royal stage on the last night of a hugely successful British tour. Alexander O'Neal, ably sup ported by his excellent ten-piece band, could do no wrong in this party atmosphere, peopled mainly by die-hard jazz, soul and funk groovers. O'Neal's massive stage pres ence, the flair of his band, and ...

... Nutty mayhem hard to resist London International Mime Festival: Purcell Room I Am a Coffee In the programme notes for Peepolykus' latest show--a big hit at last year's Edinburgh Festival Fringe--we are told that I Am a Coffee reveals the hazards of time travel and the versatility of fish shops. It is a statement consisting of few words, but how well it sets the tone for the madcap comic ...

... Les Acrostiches London International Mime Festival: Purcell Room You have to be very good at what you do to pretend you are inept at it. Think of Victor Borge. In what is quite a slight show, just an hour long, these three Frenchmen--previous award-winners at the Cirque de Demain festival in Paris--certainly make the most of their talents. Michel Navarro, Jean-Philippe Cochey-Cahuzac and ...

... Billy Myers Barnsley Liverpool singer Billy Myers proved that his acclaimed reputation in clubland is justified when he entertained with an outstanding performance at Gawber Road Club. He opens in punchy style and includes How Sweet It Is, before contrasting with ballads The Second Time and the old Malcolm Vaughan hit Every Day of My Life. His flair for the ballad comes across in his Matt ...

... Kukuyu Barnsley Popular girl/boy duo Kukuyu achieve a rapport with their audi ence from the work go, as they get toes tapping with a fastHmoving selection ranging from old hits like Do You Love Me, to the nineties with I Wanna Be the Only One. They opened at Carton Smithies Ex-Servicemen's Club with My Life, before going on to I Believe I Can Fly, and catchy SpanisWype songs like The Macarena. ...