... Bottle Cottle for a rainy day Battersea Park/Touring Gerry Cottle's Circus Tony Hopkins is presenting Gerry Cottle's Circus on an eight month tour. In a Big Top at Battersea Park, he had to contend with awful weather and Wandsworth council's ban on advertising posters. However, it is a wonderful show with a packed international programme. Simply outstanding was Hungarian juggler Karoly Donnert ...

... Sugar Bombz Rotherham Nottingham-based three-peice outfit Sugar Bombz took the stage in front of a very busy house at Rotherham's lovely East Dene Club and caught many a discerning ear with their renditions of covers by Tina Arena, Aswad and Toni Braxton. Sugar Bombz are a trio con sisting of two males and one female. Their image is very nineties and their vocal ability is considerable, to say ...

... Just imagine the scene By LISA MARTLAND In my last column I suggested that Jim Moir's decision to bring some 'fresh' blood on board at Radio 2 might not be such a bad thing, and I am sure he feels relatively confident that these changes will contribute to the station's continued success--four Golds at last week's Sony Radio Awards cannot be bad. My only regret is that even though many of ...

... Joe Loss Orchestra and Philharmonic Community Choir Liverpool In 1930, at the age of 21, Joe Loss became the youngest band leader in the West End. He quickly achieved fame throughout the country as a result of his radio broadcasts arid recordings of popular songs of the day. His success lasted through to 1990 when he retired at the age of 80. He died the following year. His band, however, ...

... Charity Concert Barnsley A charity concert in aid of the Macmillan Nurses Appeal was staged at Cariton Smithies Club and featured three acts in the form of established duo Cats Eyes and two young newcomers. First on stage was young Lassard, only in this country a year and apologising for his English. Although he seemed a little nervous, this lad, who I believe is from Tunisia, has appeal and a ...

... Dominic Kirwan Worthing/Touring Dominic Kirwan was halfway through his own special interpretation of When the Heather's in Bloom at the Pavilion when no fewer than 21 Worthing matrons of uncertain age left their seats to present him with sprigs of heather each devotee receiving a kiss to seal the bargain. Two years ago I attended a similar concert here. On that occasion, the Omagh-bom ...

... BMHS Central Conference Centre Presented by veteran showman Lew Lane, the BMHS May meeting was a rather mixed bag with two variety turns headlining. Nevertheless, tne byivia Young Trio (actually there were four of them) opened with a strong line of tap which, in view of the current smash Kat and the Kings, seems to be the flavour of the month. The Dab Hands provided light music interest, and ...

... Streisand--the Tribute Berkswell I was very impressed on my first visit to Rick's Garden Cafe and Bar and the Lant Suite at the Nailcote Hall Hotel, Restaurant and Country Club in Berkswell, deep in the Warwickshire countryside. The full events diary for Live at the Hall has a terrific line-up of quality shows, entertainers and musicians who, along with excellent cuisine, affords 'House ...

... The Tango Room Loughborough Hotel We have had Tango Argentina, The Tango Lesson and now Aspect Theatre Productions have come up with The Tango Room, directed by Josette Bushell Mingo with choreography by Alison Vale. Located in the ballroom of the Loughborough Hotel (once known as the Mambo Inn when it was the ultimate haunt of Latin American dance aficionados) in south London, the ...

... Rich Hall Bloomsbury Rich Hall seems like the gentler brother of Bill Hicks who not only went to Sunday School but probably bothered to listen as well. Lines such as Arkansas is Darwin's rewind button, or his questioning of why the word gay is seen as an important prefix to the 'serial killer' who got Versace, has the kind of pungent political stand-up which garnished the meat of a typical ...

... The Best of British Eastbourne An accomplished cast is assembled at the Royal Hippodrome for this elegant British songsheet variety show in which every act wins Yvonne Lloyd and Lesley Windsor are experts at evoking past decades with obvious enjoy ment, including several humorous items and fine singing. Stylish Philip Day is energeti cally helpful and disappears into a collection of ...

... Peter King Quintet/Monty Alexander Trio Ronnie Scott's Convention tends to accord a visiting star like the Jamaican pianist Monty Alexander pride of place in a review like this. On the evidence of the performance by alto saxophonist Peter King and his group, this would be unjust. King and his cohorts exceeded expectations, their music of com pelling intensity, easily avoiding any ...