... Provocative in paper costume Lyric, Hammersmith Ennio Marchetto Ennio Marchetto is a treat, his show a sharp yet affectionate dispatch of numerous 20th century icons ripe for parody. Using cut-out paper cos tumes which regularly metamor phose before the eyes, often in increasingly hilarious prolifera tion, he lip-synchs to their musi cal hits, the body language unerringly precise, the visual ...

... The Harlem Gospel Singers Peacock What is so attractive about the Harlem Gospel Singers is that they not only bring a unique passion to the musical celebration of their faith, but their performances are often so exciting, non-believers are likely to be booked too. Following a sell-out season at the Hackney Empire earlier this year, this collection of incred ible voices is back in style. ...

... Admirable poetic music Huddersfield The Nightingale's to Blame This year marks the centenary of the birth of Federico Garcia Lorca, so it was fitting that the world premiere of Simon Holt's first opera, The Nightingale's to Blame, based on one of the playwright's finest short plays, should be a major event at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival. Lorca's play is a poetic and surreal ...

... Caroline Nin--the Last Show Jermyn Street Theatre Cabaret enthusiasts often wish that London had more rooms suited to the art form, but at least Jermyn Street's David Babani continues to support talents like Caroline Nin. From the moment this rather sophisticated French chanteuse sashays on to the stage, the atmosphere changes. Suddenly, the off-West End theatre becomes an intimate, dark, and ...

... Poignant but lacklustre Canal Cafe Once Is Never Enough Picture the scene. You are just about to leave the house and switch off the light, when you wonder whether you have turned the iron off, so you go and check--once. Well, no, not if you are someone who suffers from Obsessive Combulsive Disorder (OCD). Then it would need check ing again, and again, and again. This kind of obsessive con ...

... Taking flight Life as a dancer is seldom an easy one, but if things seem tough here in Britain, they are decidedly more adverse in many other countries. Not only do dancers have to struggle with their bodies, the unstable political situations make daily living an obstacle course in itself. During the last eight years. Eastern Europe has suffered a succession of dev astating wars, and the ...

... Thoughts of Chairman Alf York/Touring There is something quite energising about a live Alf on a big empty stage and ripe for a challenge to his views. He or she may dare, but they can never beat the Bard of Bigotry. A few tried and were put in their place, a bonus to a glori ous evening. Warren Mitchell as Alf in his dotage has space to waddle about and stagger even more hilariously in the ...

... RIAS Big Band/BBC Big Band Liverpool It was during the BBC Big Band's very successful spring tour of Germany that the invitation was made to the RIAS Big Band to make a reciprocal visit to the UK during its 50th anniversary year. Not only was the tour set up in double quick time but both bands were booked to appear on the same bill. The RIAS band RIAS stands for Radio in American Sector and ...

... Bradley Walsh Sutton Bradley Walsh's month-long strenuous tour was well-received at the Secombe as he warmed them up with some well-timed gags, amiable introductory chat and a magnificent stage fall. He cleverly used the microphone stand as a prop for laughs. After the interval, Walsh gave i them the full treatment, which I included lengthy theme stories expertly intermingled with varying ...

... Let's Twist Again, and again, and again BY LISA MARTLAND It is not so surprising, I suppose, that the social significance of the twist has rarely cropped up as a topic of conversation over dinner or down at the local hostelry. But Twist and Shout (R2, Saturday, October 31) has changed all that--I never knew the dance's gins were so interesting. There have, of course, been countless trends ...

... The Good Old Days with Bernie Clifton Leeds A party atmosphere prevailed for the last music hall bill of the autumn season at the City Varieties, with the one and only Bernie Clifton. Making several appearances, he created mayhem early on when he rode on astride Oswald the Ostrich, the latter more frisky than ever someone hav ing popped it a Viagra pill. He appeared later, heavily padded, as a ...

... All American Solid Gold Rock'n'Roll Show '98 Portsmouth/Touring Take Good Care of My Baby, Lets Dance, Sealed with a Kiss, The Locomotion and Running Bear have long since become rock'n'roll standards and Flying Music's inspired coup of repackaging all the original artists for a British tour is selling out theatres everywhere. The music of Bobby Vee, Chris Montez, Brian Hyland, Little Eva ...