... Saved by Sex Gilded Balloon Neurotic Margi and dim-wit Barry are forlorn siblings yearning for family life. Their life together con sists of bickering, neediness and mutual irritation. There is a sit com feel to the show authored by Caroline Burns Cooke. However, the plot thickens when various sinister circumstances begin to drive the siblings into paranoia. Margi has a particular attach ment ...

... William Sutcliffe's New Boy Pleasance Russell Labey's adaptation of William Sutdiffe's novel is funny and well performed. Although we are constantly aware that those on stage left their blazers and ties behind a long time ago, they manage to sweep us along with their schoolboy charm. The latter is particularly true of Barry (Leon Parris). Never has a lower-sixth former been so sexy. From his ...

... Solo show gets laughs rolling Riverside Studios Issey Ogata The comic monologue appears to have stepped off the nation's laughter merry-go-round, and so the fact that Japan's Issey Ogata has made it into something of an artform comes as a welcome reminder of what we are missing. Like a more accessible yet far crueller Rowan Atkinson, Ogata prowls through seven hideously familiar human ...

... Excentricus Barbican Theatre At a time when the entertainment world seems to be overrun by circuses, the Montreal-based Cirque Eloize really does strike me as being something special. While not claiming to have a story, Excentricus successfully attempts a revelation of the dynamism of the circus and the interaction between its members, based on co-operation and mutual trust and, I suppose, ...

... The Millennium Show Millennium Dome The Dome's new dance extravaganza devised by Mark Fisher, no less, with music by Peter Gabriel is fantastically spectacular, but, like Greenwich's overgrown tent itself, a shade hollow. Why we British have an obsession with mediocrity and a fear of taking risks, I do not know. But the resources these 26 performers have at their disposal (57 winches is a lot ...

... Jont Ronnie Scott's Boasting plentiful stage presence and charisma as well as a superb voice, Jont powered his way through an attention-grabbing performance that was rich in both variety and musicianship. The singer and guitarist's range encompasses music varying from the folk-inspired to more pop directed approaches, delivered in a manner which is at times reminiscent of performers such as ...

... Nowt queer about Harding's folk show It has been more than two years since Mike Harding (Smooth Operations for R2. Wednesday, July 12) took over from Ralph McTell in the weekly Radio 2 slot, which features the best of roots, folk and acoustic music. During that time his long and varied experience as a musician, coupled with a natural, friendly presenting style, has won him a lot of friends ...

... Andy White and the Celtic Ono Band Glasgow/Touring This wandering minstrel is a storyteller in the classical mould who weaves his words with gorgeous melodies and wry humour. That is why his songs work so beautifully. An evening with Andy White is like discovering a fantastic book, or a photo album from the past. White and his Celtic Ono Band of Davy Crichton, Kieran Kennady and Bronagh ...

... Looking Glass Warwick This is a revival of the opening production at the Dream Factory, home of the Playbox Theatre Company. The fantastic new theatre draws young people from throughout the Midlands to its excellent facilities and training opportunities in a variety of performance arts. There is an impressive line-up of productions planned for the year and it offers real opportunities for ...

... Great seaside show Blackpool Eclipse As timing goes, opening the third annual summer edition of Blackpool Pleasure Beach Globe's unique circballet at exactly the same moment that England kicked off against Germany in Euro 2000 was less than perfect. But though Joe O'Connor's dramatic score is the same as last season, almost half the cast are new to the production. For several of them it is the ...

... Let Go of My Trunk Canal Cafe Racily, publicity for this show features a scantily clad woman asking potential punters if they would like to pay a fiver to see her perform in a foursome. Though it would be unfair to say that this collection of sketches fails to live up to its flyer, this kind of one-note cheekiness seems to be a motif for the evening. That said, there is plenty of good ...

... Pushing back the boundaries Leeds/Touring Circus Oz Gone are the days of red-nosed clowns, glamorous trapeze artists and tamed big cats-and this show, at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, could not stress the point more strongly. It is a circus of tattooed, multi-skilled gymnasts, jugglers and musicians, all driven by a politicised mission to change the world. Unlike their politics, the ...