... Platee Gent Rameau's extraordinary work is an anti-masque in which Jupiter practices a cruel joke upon the swamp-nymph Platee (sung by a high tenor) in order to arouse Juno's jealousy. A prologue sets it up as the boozy Thespis' creation. The wonderfully evocative score's dazzling orchestration, rhythmic energy and infectious dance music bring to life birds and frogs, letting loose the ...

... Vern Allen Premiere Showcase Exmouth Showcases used to be a hotchpotch of acts thrown together without any semblance of providing a show for the audience. The acts appeared almost as though they were on a factory line. Thankfully those days are long gone and one of the prime movers towards making show case events such enjoyable spectacles has been Vern Allen. His talents in this vein were ...

... Paying tribute to the greats Hemel Hempstead Peller Artistes Jumpin' Jaks was the venue for this showcase, and the direction taken by the Sheffield agency was clear on first glance at the 20 plus act programme. Johnnie Peller has embraced the tribute market and this was designed to showcase that side of his business. Kicking off was Earth Win Desire. This two males and one female act took ...

... Music and manipulation Prince Edward Mamma Mia! The fact that shows now have to be manufactured to fill large theatres has never been better demonstrated than by Mamma Mia!, which bears its marketing plan boldly before it; a couple of years in the West End, a long tour and perhaps a summer season at Blackpool Opera House. If this sounds cynical, it is because this is probably the most ...

... City--Odessa Stories Bite 99: Barbican Theatre Fantastic imagination and style are the hallmarks of Gesher Theatre Israel's adaptation of Isaac Babel's exceptionally expressive stories of life in mythical, magical Odessa. Babels wonderful writing is brought to the stage with an astonishing verve in characterisation, comedy and music. The six tales, rich in energy and boasting a glorious ...

... Nightlife Sadler's Wells Away from London for far too long, Scottish Ballet, currently under the acting directorship of Kenn Burke, brought a triple bill comprising a revival of an almost forgotten MacMillan ballet, a recent premiere by Tim Rushton and a new tion by the New York choreogra pher Lila York. Opening with MacMillan's Diversions, the dancers' techni cal abilities were immediately ...

... Rui Horta Stage Works Turning World: The Place Having made his name as director of the Frankfurt-based S.O.A.P., the Portuguese choreographer Rui Horta is now heading a new group, Stage Works, and is the choreographer in residence at Munich's Muffathalle. Perhaps it is this change of city which has coloured his ideas, because his latest piece, Zeitraum The Space of Time, jettisons the zany ...

... Aspects of Dance Fareham/Touring That Wayne Sleep, at the age of 50, can still muscle his way through ballet's virtuoso steps is admirable, but there is no hiding he used to do it rather better. Nevertheless, his name still attracts loyal fans, and his latest touring show, Aspects of Dance, has been produced in col laboration with leading dancers from City Ballet of London. Quite why the ...

... Starry futures Hoxton Hall Circus Space Whichever came first, the venue or the storyline, Hoxton Hall made a perfect setting for the Circus Space diploma students' final show, In Vestments, directed by Chris Cresswell. This tiny room, seating just 100, had been converted back to a music hall (set by Jessica Elliott and Beth Woodyatt) which held ghostly echoes of its past. Music (Toby Parks) ...

... Long haul for a quality cast Lyttelton The Forest Alan Ayckboum writes in the programme of The Forest that he is not one of life's natural adapters. But it is easy to see what drew him to Ostrovsky's play, for here is a clear affirmation of the supremacy of art over money. It has three dominating characters two wandering actors who invade one of those torpid Russian estates so familiar to us ...

... The Vagina Monologues King's Head Only in the United States, one feels, could a writer/performer consider the idea of a show about the female sex organ. And, on balance, it is to that nation's credit, for here it is too often regarded as a subject for comedy or embarrassment. Not that there is not some humour in Eve Ensler's perfor mance, for she tackles the subject head on, recognising that ...

... Messiah Hackney Empire Studio Ordinary folk in Europe had it rough as increasingly murderous armies swung pendulum-like through their midst battling for nationhood-and the mid-17th century was no exception. It was particularly unpleasant for the Jews of the Polish Pale sandwiched as they were between the waning Poles and Cossacks, united solely by their desire to summarily slaughter anyone ...