... A welcome round of nostalgia BY JOHN MARTLAND With the Millennium Dome in the news for all the wrong reasons right now, memories of an earlier structure--the Dome of Discovery--were revived in Fabulous Fifties (Music Entertainment for R2, from Tuesday, April 18). The title, of course referred to those ten extraordinary years that were, in presenter Alan Whicker's words, squeezed like a ...

... 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 ...

... An Evening of New Acoustic Beats Ronnie Scott's Singer/songwriter Baxta and his band produced a superb performance to stand out among a four-strong bill in this programme of folk, rock and country-inspired music. A collection of diverse songs composed by the guitarist rounded off the evening in outstanding style, displaying both his show manship and distinctive voice. Influences ranging ...

... An Evening with Jimmy Tarbuck Halifax/Touring Jimmy Tarbuck should think about rationing his quiz show work and ditching the golf videos if he wants to be remembered as an outstanding comedian. His spring tour has him doing what he does best working a live audience. His act is steeped in quickfire Liverpool wit and street-comer cheek, and his timing is sublime. He might live in the south, but ...

... Music wins in test of time Jermyn Street Theatre The Jermyn Street Revue Nothing, it appears, detes faster than verbal humour, to judge from the material assembled by Sheridan Moriey for his Jermyn Street Revue. We of the older generation have fond memories of intimate revue, the genre as well as the humour--short, sharp sketches interpreted by person able actors with an innate sense of ...

... The Great Kovari's Magic Show Centre for the Magic Arts Coinciding with the Easter holidays, The Great Kovari's show was aimed mostly at children. It is no mean feat to have lured them from their mobile phones and computer games to witness a gentler form of entertainment--a mix of magic, mystery and illusion. He starts well by letting everyone think he is revealing the secret of his ...

... Hot Ice 2000 Blackpool For its millennium production, the world's longest-running annual ice production-Blackpool's first full-scale summer season offering this century-has introduced the first contemporary art/ballet sequence created specifically for ice. Staged at the Pleasure Beach Arena, the show opens with Rhythms, a full-scale ensemble production in its own right. Featuring 26 skaters, ...

... Tough fight to make progress By John Martland It seemed rather appropriate that actress Frances Barber should talk about her work on Shiner, the forthcoming Michael Caine film dealing with the nasty side of the fight game, in five five-minute slots rather than one continuous programme. Each day in Work In Progress (BBC Bristol for R3, from Monday, May 8), she vividly recalled what it was ...

... Sixties acts dazzle the crowds Palladium Solid Silver 60s Show 2000 Featuring four acts from the swinging sixties, this is the 15th such annual tour, the call for which shows no sign of abating as we begin the new millennium. First were the Swinging Blue Jeans, appropriately clad in denim, giving their interpretation of three Gene Vincent numbers which made for a party atmos phere. With some ...

... Stars in Your Eyes Torquay Because of the enormously high standards that Colin Matthews has set in the last six years, one expects this show to be of the same quality. But this event did not entirely match expectations. However, it was extremely entertaining in parts, and one could not fault the excellent performance from comedian Matt Slack, who grows in stature and ability every time I see ...

... Combination hits right note Nanci Griffith Royal Albert Hall Singer/songwriter Nanci Griffith and the London Symphony Orchestra made an intriguing and successful combination as the country star performed a varied concert including some of her best-known numbers. Conductor Andrew Pryce Jackman and Griffith worked together to transform guitartesed arrangements into the symphonic I songs recorded ...

... Strayed from the path Barnet Once Upon a Time The serenity and precision celebrated in the work of Nahic Siddiqui and company are less apparent in this new production at The Bull, a fusion of story telling and dance. Conceived as a charting o the historic gypsy journeys frorr the Indian state of Rajasthan through the Punjab and ontc Europe, Siddiqui's dramatisation draws worthwhile cross-conti ...