... Quidam Amsterdam/Touring With its new show, Quidam meaning nobody Cirque du Soleil aims both to entertain you and make you think. Though darker and more theatrical than its previous offerings, it has many light- hearted moments like the human 'sea lions' and John Gilkey's wonderful juggling/ dance with a coatstand. Choreographer Debra Brown's clever and unmistakable hand is evident ...

... James Ross Tribute Benidorm A galaxy of top stars working in this Spanish resort gathered at the Town night spot to pay tribute to James Ross, one of the most professional, brilliant and likeable characters ever to sit behind a keyboard. The tribute show was opened by popular comperes Mike Curtis and Liverpool comic Johnny Hackett, and continued non-stop for four pulsating hours before an ...

... Warm response to bright talent Stoke-on-Trent Staffordshire and Cheshire Artiste of the Year Federation figurehead Basil Ball welcomed his guests to the comfortable surroundings of Burslem Suburban Club for the most prestigious clubland night in the Potteries the annual Staffordshire and Cheshire Artiste of the Year show. A capacity audience of around 400 gathered, and compere Bob Hodgkiss ...

... Agents' Association Ball Marriott Hotel Unknown to me, and I suspect most agents, before the Showcall Showcase at Ribby Hall at the beginning of February, Leslie Gibson was given the honour of occupying the main cabaret spot at the Agents' Association Ball. But on this showing he is undoubtedly a star in the making; an impressionist of the highest quality, with signs of developing a distinct ...

... Sing Something Silly New End No doubt on some occasions Dick Vosburgh and Denis King's musical farrago raises the roof, but judging by the reaction on this particular rainy night in Hampstead, the few brave souls present in the audience seemed to have run out of energy after a long week. They obviously needed some thing a little more stimulating than 'a fast-paced mixture of topical songs, ...

... Pride of the Clyde Ayr As seen at the Gaiety, Pride of the Clyde which also toured to Falkirk, Glenrothes, Inverness, Largs, Perth, East Kilbride and Kilmarnock-gave the lie to those who think that no interest remains for variety revue. Lacking only a dance troupe, this was traditional Scottish revue, splendidly done and raptur ously received by big houses at all six Gaiety performances. ...

... Carol Kidd Pizza on the Park Kick off your shoes, sit back, and enjoy the music, suggests Carol Kidd in the early stages of her set at the Music Room, and there is no better way to enjoy the performance of this extremely classy iazz singer. Connoisseurs would rarely admit it, but jazz can occasionally be a pretentious musical style, with artists wary of attracting any thing more than a ...

... Dedicated to glam-rock fans Belfast Voulez Vous Silver Tour Blinding white flares, psychedelic cat suits, sequined platform boots, Day-Glo pink feather boas and that was just the gear worn by the guys in the audience. The Voulez Vous Silver Tour shimmered into Belfast, bringing a packed audience of glam-rock enthusiasts of all ages to the Waterfront Hall. The time warp experience is an ...

... Stylish sounds of sixties swing Barbican Hall Jack Jones Back in the early sixties, when the world was full of great swinging young contender, pitting himself against the likes of Sinatra and Bennett. In those days, of course, he did not have the mature, lived-in voice of those stars, and his first hits, though full of style, were soft-centred songs like Lollipops and Roses. But now he is ...

... Hogg in the Limelight Talk of London John Hogg has already had a certain amount of success as a songwriter, having won the 1995 Vivian Ellis Prize for his musical The Clip Joint, and this showcase on a West End Cares night at the Talk of London included numbers from that show, as well as three others Meet the Boys, Magnificent Obsessions and It's a Wonderful Life (the last two being works ...

... Britain Meets Broadway Queen Elizabeth Hall Considering the commercial success of musicals past and present, it is not surprising that compilation shows crop up on a regular basis. Hence Gershwin and Co's Britain Meets Broadway, billed in somewhat exaggerated terms as a fabulous journey through the timeless hits of Broadway musicals. The ensemble Gershwin and Co is the inspiration of ...

... Unruly, madly, deeply BY JHON MARTLAND According to Mark Radcliffe, host of How Tickled Am I? (BBC Manchester for R4, from Tuesday, April 6), a six-part series exploring the tradition of the northern comedian, if you went to Blackpool in the thirties and forties and did not see Randle's Scandals, you had not had a proper holiday. Radcliffe and his guests painted a vivid portrait of Frank ...