... CAA Dinner Bloomsbury Posthouse In recent years, the Concert Artistes Association annual dinner has introduced some unfamiliar performers in its cabaret, and this year there were two acts new to me. The Jelly Rolls are a smaller but no less weighty offshoot of the Roly Polys, created by ex-Roly Poly Audrey Leyboume. There are three of them, the largest a bespectacled charmer in the mould, and ...

... Turnage proves his true mettle London Coliseum The Silver Tassie Taking Sean O'Casey's play, neatly filleted by Amanda Holden, as his theme, Mark-Anthony Tumage has come up with an opera which, if not exactly giving a resounding start to the new millennium, is eminently approachable. Its score, though not without modernistic dissonances, will not frighten the traditionalists, and its ...

... The Musicals and More! AshtoiHinder-Lyne/Touring Every vocalist's nightmare is noisy amplifiers and a microphone that does not work. It came true for one member of the cast of this Tameside Hippodrome show who, nevertheless, carried on like a trouper. Another cast member failed to switch off her phone when she left the stage, to the audience's amusement. Apart from sound problems, this ...

... Alison Jiear Brentwood In addition to versatile singing and impeccable phrasing, Alison Jiear displayed great talent at the Brentwood Theatre: irreverent comedy gifts, a bright personality and singing perfectly off-key. This was the second time I had heard the former Fabulous Singlette solo. Not only was she more relaxed, the act was honed. There were old Eydie Gorme numbers Since I Fell for ...

... Days when 208 was truly great By JOHN MARTLAND We are constantly being told that nostalgia is not what it used to be, but there is still an awful lot of it around, especially on radio. Why, only just recently, a misty- eyed (at least, he sounded like it) Noel Edmonds hosted a fulsome 60-minutes worth of cences about The Great 208 the Story of Radio Luxembourg (R2, Tuesday, February 15). ...

... Cavelleria Rusticana/ I Pagtiacci Plymouth Love, betrayal and murder are the key elements of Opera South West's potent double bill at the Drum Studio. The cast, under the polished musical direction of Derek Kitt, captures the nuances of the marvellous melodies in these Italian masterpieces. The power and beauty of the Easter Hymn, On with the Motley and the famous intermezzo are fully ...

... Stand-in is a showstopper Lyric, Hammersmith/Touring Fascinating Aida- Barefaced Chic! As the curtain rises on this revamped show, first seen in London at the Theatre Royal Haymarket last year, the three members of Fascinating Aida are 'backstage', pondering the highs and lows of this business called show. And well they should, for although the pre-publicity had all been about new member, ...

... Lee Hurst Leicester A capacity audience greeted Lee Hurst at the De Montfort Hall when he appeared as part of this year's Leicester Comedy Festival, beaming his trademark grin. The Londoner quickly got them laughing with a topical gag, that Leicester people are friendly like Stan Collymore the troubled Leicester City star. Then Hurst went into an hour of fine comedy. The themes were not ...

... Reach Out Blackpool/Touring Philadelphia had its freedom and New York was so good they named it twice, but it was always dirty Detroit, the motor town, that had the best music. The American metropolis pro duced a seemingly endless line of hit makers, and this show at the Grand pays tribute to the Temptations, the Four Tops and the Motown record label era. It is always the songs as Oft., much ...

... Night of the Dons 2 - The Big Pay Back! Greenwich Night of the Dons 2 reprises the comic mayhem of 1997's Night of the Dons but, ousting the pride of male black comedy, this time it is the women's turn to strut their stuff in this roaring production from Goodfoot Entertainments in association with Theatre Royal ouairuru tasi, wnere an me actors/comics play themselves. Eddie Gee has a ...

... Traditionally shipshape Savoy HMS Pinafore Gilbert and Sullivan operas seem better when staged in their original home in the Strand, possibly because audiences are more receptive there. This is certainly the case with Martin Duncan's production, beginning with the arrival of the tap-dancing crew, a blow to the traditionalists, perhaps, but well to the liking of the majority of the audience. ...

... Madama Butterfly Manchester How refreshing it is to see a production of this opera that is not bound by convention, even though it is flawed in parts. Opera North has given director Dalia Ibelhauptaite a completely free hand at the Opera House, and her naturalistic direction tandem with the innovative designs of Oleg Cheintsis and enhanced by Peter Mumford's dramatic lighting, has given a ...