... SNAPS Culture secretary Chris Smith has appointed con sultants Panned Kerr Forstcr, to examine the BBC's finances. The review is intended to ensure trans parency at the Corporation. The scrutiny was recom mended by Gavyn Davics report last year into the future funding of the BBC. Smith said the review will also examine the amount of information given by the BBC in its recent annual report. ...

... Earth and Uw Great Weather, music and text by John Luthef Adams. Almeida Theatre. Almeida Street Nl tonight, then this Saturday and Sunday only. Management: Almeida Opera. Vocal group: Synergy. Percussion ensemble: Scott Deal, Stuart Gerber. John Kennedy, Amy Knoles. Director: Peter Mumford. who also designs and lights. Sound: Nathaniel Reichman. Sponsor: Peter Moores Foundation. Press: Janine ...

... THURS, JULY 13 Playing the FMd BBCI drama series (9.30 10.20pm) Production company: Tiger Aspect. Cast includes: Lorraine Ashbourne, Melanie Hill, Jo Mclnnes, Claudie Blakely, James Thornton, Ricky Tomlinson, Brigit Forsyth, Nicholas Gleaves. Lee Ross, Tim Dantay, Elizabeth Spriggs. James Ellis, Chris Walker, Ralph Ineson, Gaynor Faye, Jason 0'Mara, Mark Womack. Writer: Sally Wainwright. ...

... SUNDAY, JULY 16 SATURDAY, JULY 11 The following artists, listed in SHOWCALL 2000, the visual directory of light entertainment, can be seen working at the following venues on the dates shown. For more information on these artists, consult your copy of SHOWCALL 2000. Showcall artists can also be found on the Internet at: www.showcall.co.uk/diary WARD ALLEN Norbreck Castle Hotel. Blackpool (19) ...

... ABERDEEN HI* Majesty's The Singing Kettle: Homemade Band Show ABERYSTWYTH Arts Centre The King and I BAGNOR Watermlll Carmen BARNET Bull Marijuana Time (29-30) BARNSLEY Cannon Hall Museum The Wind in the Willows (26-28) BATH Rondo Play On Theatre Royal Carl Rosa Opera Theatre Royal, Ustinov Studio Birth Rite (28-29) BIRMINGHAM Midlands Arts Centre Under Milk Wood BLACKPOOL Central Pier Legends ...

... 20/20, by Julia Pascal. Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith. King Street W6 to this Saturday. Management: Amici Dance Theatre Company. Company includes: Barb Jungr with the New London Orchestra. Director: Wolfgang Stange. Designer: Romesh de Costa. Lighting: Jim Donnelly. Puppetry: Julian Crouch. Music: Billy Cowie. Press: Cameron Duncan. 020 7636 3750. The Bench, by Aleksandr Gelman, translated by ...

... SNAPS Sam Mendes has supported the National Film and Television School by offering a top German scholarship to an NFTS student. Hamburg- based Alfred Toepfer Foun dation, which presented the scholarship, gives an award annually to a British citizen for outstanding achievements in the arts. The award, called the Shakespeare Prize, was given this year to Mendes. Lesfle PhMps and Thandie Newton ...

... NEW SERIES THURS, JULY 20 Sounds of the Seventies BBC Radio 2 ten-part music series (10- 10.30pm) Presenter: Steve Harley. Producer: Roger Bowman. FRI, JULY 21 Barry Welsh Is Coming MTV Wales comedy series, regional only (10.30-llpm) Production company: Absolutely Productions. Cast: John Sparkes. Producer: Peter Baikie. Director: Lissa Evans. SAT, JULY 22 Professor Smith Fired and Emotional ...

... Greta Scacchl, Michael Pennington, Nickolas Grace and Georgina Hale will tour with The Guardsman by Hungarian playwright Ferenc Molnar. directed by Janet Suzman, prior to West End. The production, produced by Paddy Wilson, designed by Charles Cusick Smith and lit by Nick Beadle, opens at Churchill, Bromley, in the week commencing August 28. followed by dates at Theatre Royal. Bath (w/c ...

... ALDERNEY Channel Islands Arts Centra Moby Dick (13-14) BAGNOR WatermiH Carmen BANGOR Theatr Gwynedd One for the Road BARNSTAPLE Queen's Playdays: Sing-a-Song of Sixpence (12-13) BATH Theatre Royal Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat BIRMINGHAM Alexandra Theatre Smokey Joes Cafe Crescent Wallop Mrs Cox Midlands Arts Centre My Wrong Mr Right/Strictly Missionary (12-14) Repertory Present ...

... Denver Center Theatre Company in association with the Royal Shakespeare Company presents the world premiere of Peter Hall's production of Tantalus by John 8arton at the Denver Center for Performing Arts. Colorado, October 21 to 22. Commissioned and nurtured by the RSC over the 15 years of writing. Tantalus a modern version of the Trojan War Story is a tervcycle play marathon with a playing ...

... SNAPS Albert Finiwy will lead the cast in Yorkshire Tele vision's six-part adaptation for ITV of My Uncle Silas by Darling Buds of May creator HE Bates. He replaces Oliver Reed who was sched uled for the part before his death earlier this year. Philip Saville, director of Boys from the Black Stuff and The Life and Loves of a She i Devil, will direct the project which begins filming at the end ...