... Cosi fan tutte Holland Park Theatre London's answer to Garsington provides an opportunity for upcoming artists to perform with a full orchestra in a semi-alfresco setting. The cast of Tom Hawkes' playful Mozart revival are doubly blessed by Turkish maestro Cem Mansur whose light, elegant accompaniment is never in contention. Set in a sumptous, louvred garden room designed by Peter Rice, the ...

... That's Entertainment 2000 Weymouth Weymouth Pavilion's summer show is among the best seen along this coast in recent decades. Cnsply directed by Frank Woodruff, it replicates the format of 40 years ago with three star names heading a strong supporting company. On stage throughout is Anthony English's accomplished five-piece band; there are the four excellent Showtime dancers choreographed by ...

... Flattering imitations Blackpool Legends 2000 One of last summer's surprise Blackpool success stories has this season replaced the ill-fated Comedy Zone to take over Central Pier's revamped auditorium and looks perfectly at home in the cabaret surroundings. The formula itself is just the same a rotating bill of acts who have made their own names through adopting other people's, a backing band ...

... Sign up for Service memories BY JOHN MARTLAND Exactly 55 years ago this month, and only a few weeks after Germany's surrender brought an end to the war in Europe, the Labour Party swept to a landslide victory in the General Election. One of the first decisions made by Clement Attlee's government was to affect the lives of two and a half million young men during the next 18 years. These were ...

... Variety--the final Frontier Pamela Watford discovers a Yorkshire club which defies the industry's recent bad fortunes Compiled By Peter Hepple Most of the big glittering nightspots of yesteryear have long gone, but one of the most famous Yorkshire venues, Batley Variety Club, is still going after 19 years as the Frontier. Owner of the club, Derek Smith, has seen many changes since the early ...

... Comedy Bonanza 2000 Blackpool For his 13th consecutive Grand Theatre summer show director/ producer Jon Conway has opted to preserve a fast dying form of variety- the traditional seaside show Twenty years since last top ping a Blackpool summer bill, John Inman has returned to his adopted home. His roots are in the type of entertainment this show strives to re-create, his name is synonymous ...

... Cheryl Robinson Blackpool Birmingharrvbased singing star Cheryl Robinson has been working through the summer season in various Pontin's Holiday Centres. Here in Blackpool, she looked elegant and stylish in a superbly tailored purple trouser suit. A most natural entertainer, she has only just turned pro, after years of plodding around the talent contest circuit. Her choice of opening num ber, ...

... Jane McDonald's Summer Spectacular Bournemouth This entertainment presented for a seven week season at the International Centre is a diva-style concert preceded by a star comedian. In fact, the two acts appear to be in different shows, neither of which can be termed spectacular, particularly as all. participants are invariably clad in sombre hues. Nevertheless, the production opens with the ...

... Summer 60s Show Blackpool With Freddy Garrity in hospital at the time of the first of this new look Sunday featuring old luck chart stars at Blackpool's Grand Theatre, his backing band The Dreamers were told not to bother carrying on without him and the proceedings were left to the north/south divide of Brian Poole and Dave Berry. Poole these days comes across as the kind of cheery uncle ...

... Sweet singing, flat comedy Torquay Comedy Bonanza This is the best attempt at a summer show that Torquay has seen for a long time. It has the stars, although the production at the Princess Theatre is still skimpy. It features a permanent set and a three-piece band, but there is trouble with the sound. The three comics, (four if you include straight man Tommy Cannon) perform with their usual ...

... Summer Cabaret Show Blackpool The cabaret room at the Cliffs Hotel in Blackpool lends itself very well to traditional cabaret. It is lamentable that the days of live backing musicians playing in hotels seem to be in decline and following this trend the acts at the Cliffs now work with backing tracks. All the more reason then to employ a compere as versatile and professional as Bobby Bennett to ...

... Honky Tonk Nights Lytham St Annes Think rhythm and you think blues, think country and you would normally assume western-but at Europe's biggest custom built C&W venue the invitation is now to also add on comedy. In a bold move Fort San Antone at Great Birchwood Leisure Park is staging its own version of a summer season with a five week Tuesday to Thursday run of the country's (and country ...