... Five Knights THE BARRON KNIGHTS have been signed for a five-nights-a- week summer season at the Pavi lion, Weymouth from July 13 to September 5. Another attraction announced is Harry Corbett and Sooty, who will do afternoon Tuesday and Thurs day shows from July 7 to the end of August. ...

... Down under devilry from side splitting Orchante Peter Hepple meets the Anzac all round entertainer who commands more than belly laughs from his audience THE OTHER WEEK viewers of Channel 4's late-night chat show The Last Resort either covered their eyes or watched in rigid fascination as a smiling, bearded man, with an unmistakeable Down Under accent calmly swallowed a length of string, ...

... 'A festival to rival the Edinburgh fringe' NORMAN DIVALL ON THE RADICAL CHANGES MADE TO THIS YEAR'S CAPITAL MUSIC FESTIVAL WHICH, IT IS HOPED, WILL ATTRACT THE CREAM OF FRINGE PERFORMERS TO LONDON'S SOUTH BANK THIS SUMMER One of the most eagerly-awaited events for Londoners and visitors to the capital in the early summer is undoubtedly the Capital Music Festival, which enters its fifth year in ...

... Irie! THE PLACE IRIE! IS THE one-year old black dance company that is resident at the Albany Empire and specialises in a repertoire combining contemporary western dance with something of the Caribbean heritage. The company's debut performance at The Place attracted a relatively small audience, but to judge from prolonged cheering at the end the house might well have been full to overflowing ...

... Impresario denies 'strong arm' blackmail TOP pop impresario, Don Arden, denied allegations that he hired a member of the American Mafia act as his 'strong arm' man in blackmailing his accountant, a jury at the Old Bailey heard on Monday. Arden, 59, of West Side, Wimble don, owner of Jet Records, was being cross-examined by prosecutor David Paget. The court heard Arden suspected his accountant. ...

... New jazz 'club' FOR THE first time in Britain, jazz musicians are to have their own organisation which, it is hoped, will give them a greater and unified voice and put an end to their lack of common purpose. The Association of British Jazz Musi cians, as it is to be called, is the result of the first ever national jazz month in October this year, and is the brain child of Jazz Services ...

... London City Ballet SADLER'S WELLS IN PRESENTING a first London gala at as important a theatre as Sadler's Wells, in the presence of its patron, the Princess of Wales, London City Ballet seized the opportunity greedily. But with a programme that endeavoured to sell the company to newcomers by incuding a sprinkling of repertory lets as well as tne customary array ot gala fireworks, it proved ...

... Don't lose your head THIEVES who stole a life-size trick guillotine from controversial horror act Nightmare could be in danger of chopping off their own heads or inflicting serious injury if they attempt to use the prop, worried pro ducers have warned. The Walsall troupe lost its entire stage show when thieves made off with a trailer carrying lighting and sound equipment worth £10,000, ...

... Protest delays drag artist's final curtain By HELEN GOULD LARGER-than-life sixties drag artist, Jean Fredericks, is causing controversy even in death with a family row erupting over his final send off. Fredericks, alias French-Canadian musician John Frederick Watson, died last week at the age of 63 after suffer ing a heart attack. His spectacular cos tume balls at Bayswater's Porchester Hall ...

... Promotors secret POP PROMOTER Paul Stockbridge hid a guilty secret behind a glittering facade as he was chauffeured in a Rolls Rovce. He was wav behind with the mort gage repayments on his house and other debts were mounting. Stockbndge made a last-ditch effort to get out of trouble bv taking on the Osmonds' farewell tour of Britain. He hoped to make £200.000. Instead, his dreams crashed when ...

... Leicester applauds retarded dancers THE ANNUAL Gala Day of the British Theatre Dance Association at the De Montfort Hall on June 5 was a treat for the whole of Leicester, with an afternoon parade of 2,000 youngs ters, including six inarching bands and majorette groups parading round the town. The day began at 9 a.m. with lectures by top choreographers in cluding TV's Brian Rogers. Brian picked ...

... BIC needs a new roof j THE Bournemonth International Centre, which was built four years ago at a cost of £17 million. rzv needs a new roof, and the bill is expected to come to £500,000. Bournemouth Council solicitor Stephen Chappell said he was talking to Module 11, the project manager responsible for the BIC, but added that the contractor who had carried out the roof work had gone into ...