The Observer from London, Greater London, England • 20

ARTS BOOKS 20 SUNDAY 13 MAY 1984 Him foUacMk IPtm(35iM stoamgglM AFTER bracing themselves for MUSIC another Pintilie blow-up in the manner of his recent Carmen, Welsh National Opera's patrons may well heave a sigh of relief at CINEMA the straightforwardness, the lack of angle or self-advertisement in Goran Jar-vefelt's new production of La Boheme, which opened in Cardiff on Tuesday, replacing the Pintilie staging that WNO had (for reasons not given, but which can readily be imagined) declined to take on Jarvefelt, with a glance at the in other directions too. New British music abounds. On Thursday the Parikian FlemingRoberts Trio gave the first performance of a Piano Trio commissioned by them from Hugh Wood, a substantial three-movement piece of some difficulty. Wood has braved well-known problems of balance and resonance in writing for piano trio and solved them, it seemed from this not wholly fluent first performance, only in part. The jagged, octave-displaced polyphonies of the appassionato first movement might almost have been designed to draw attention to the problems of the medium, while the moto perpetuo finale, imagined I should think faster than it was played here, still nearly came to grief at the end.

Some exquisite writing for cello harmonics, and bell-like high piano in the adagio, went a long way towards redeeming Wood's vision which, to be fair, he brought to fruition only three weeks ago rather late, perhaps, for the players' comfort. STEPHEN WALSH care, above all for the inherent qualities of the work, instead of simply what the producer can get out of it. The same goes for Kees Bakel's conducting and for the individual performances, without exception Puccini's characters may be stereotyped, but they are at least musically vivid ones, and it's one of WNO's strengths that they can provide such types more or less indefinitely (as witness their superb Janacek castings) All the small parts in this Boheme are admirably filled, from the toy peddler Parpignol (John Harris) upwards; and how cunning it was of Puccini to give all these characters their names, and to imprint them on the work by setting them to music. At the top of this particular stack Nicholas FolweU's score, has had the idea of setting Puccini's masterpiece about Paris in the 1840s in Paris in the 1840s, and it's a decision one can uncomplicatedly applaud. The production contents itself with two modest concessions to worried intellectuals.

It offers, in Michael Yeagan's grimly unfurnished attic designs and wintry exteriors, a modern percep Rachel Ward and James Woods In Taylor Hackford's Against All But when the action moves to exotic Mexican locations heavy- breathing sex and travelogue montages take over, and on the tion that fans the nineteenth century was not a good place to be poor. And in this same spirit it indulges throughout a discreet tendency to point up the sentimental theatricality, which, even the work's admirers might have to admit, is part and parcel of the composer's romanticisa-tion of the story. return to Los Angeles the picture modulates into a pastiche of Like Hackford's PHILIP FRENCH essay on his hero, Medouse, is so good and so apparently beyond his experience that a white teacher accuses him of plagiarism. The teacher's sobering visit to the boy's home (after which he apologises and secures a full scholarship for this star pupil) is cross-cut with the wide-eyed Jose being shown the art deco splendours of a white family's mansion by their black chauffeur. But Jose keeps his head, neither being seduced away from his people by an alluring white culture, nor developing a corrosive rancour.

When some local. thieves steal the takings from a ghetto cinema, the cashier rages against her race and colour. Without the slightest trace of smugness, the serious little Jose rebukes her. I don't think anyone could leave this wonderful film without feeling more hopeful about the possibilities of the world around us. Secret Places (Gate, Blooms-bury, etc, IS) is also the feature debut of a woman writer-director, Zelda Barron, a modest, likeable, rather predictable affair that has tried to pack far too much plot (from a Janice Elliott novel) into its 98 minutes.

It's about the intense friendship between two grammar school girls in the English Midlands from the phoney war of 1940 to early 1945. Laura (the confident Marie-Therese Relin, daughter of Maria Schell) is the poised child of German refugees. Patience MacKenzie (the lovable Tara MacGowran, daughter of the late Jack MacGowran) is a An Officer and a overplays just within the bounds of the part, and by her Marcello, Donald Maxwell, another reading informed by something of the subtlety of the Janacek experience. Last week's visit to the Brighton Festival by Warsaw Chamber Opera, with a busy repertory of no fewer than four operas, including three Italian opere buffe and a Polish classic in Monuiszko's Halka, plus two music-theatre evenings, suggested that operatic standards may not be so high in Poland as even regional British audiences, spoilt by WNO and have lately become used to. Donizetti's Don Pasqnale, in a maddeningly fussy sub-Ponnelle production by Jitka Stokalska, showed not for the first time that complexity of staging cannot disguise lack of musical polish, least of all in a work so supremely dependent on vocal wit and style The case of 'Halka' was slightly different, not just because the singing and playing were more assured and the production (by Kazimierz Dej-mek) more ready to lei the work take its own course.

The problem here lay with the work itself. Moniuszko, a Polish contemporary of Smetana, certainly can't be spoken of in the same breath at least not on the evidence of this two-dimensional study of a peasant girl who kills herself for love of a feckless aristocratic seducer. One can just see why Halka came to be regarded as a foundation stone of Polish national music; but this may well be more apparent from the bigger four-act version which it seems the Poles know better. Presumably out of concern for its temper, the Brighton audience was offered an early, brief two-act version not heard anywhere since 1848. A less wooden staging and more sparkling singing might just argue a case for Halka.

But somehow I doubt it. The music is square and conventional, recognisably Slavic here and there (the Vesper chorus of Act II is the best moment), but at other times more like Weber without the flair or colour. Polish music generally is a feature of this year's festival, Gavin Henderson's first as artistic director. But typically his enthusiasms have bubbled over EUZHAN PALCY is a Paris based documentary-maker from the West Indies, and her boldly affirmative, skilfully crafted feature-film debut, Rue Cases Negres (Chelsea Cinema, PG), a sort of cross between 'Pather Panchali' and 'The Corn is is based on an autobiographical novel by a fellow-native of Martinique, Joseph Zobel. Set in Martinique in the early 1 930s, the film has as its hero the 11 -year-old Jose (Garry Cade-net), and as a black orphan living in a remote cane-cutters' shanty town (the Black Shack Alley of the title) in a French colony, he seems just about as disadvantaged as he could be No one would blame him if he took to crime or just spent his life sweating in the cane-fields by day and boozing at night.

Statistically that's how he should have turned out. But as the man says to Augie March in Saul Bellow's novel, do you want to act like a statistic Jose proves as firm of purpose as he is slight of physique. And he has three remarkable people to help him. The first is his elderly grandmother (a great performance by the melli-fluously named French actress Darling Legitimus), who initially appears to be a querulous repressive crone, but is really a stern loving person who will make any sacrifice for Jose. The second is his spiritual father, the ancient cane-cutter Menouze (Douta Seek, another performance of stature), the son of slaves and a man of natural wisdom.

The third is the village schoolmaster, a man with a feeling for language and a sense of mission who spells out the film's message in chalk on the blackboard 'Education is the key to the second gate of our freedom. With the master's help, Jose wins a half-scholarship to the secondary school in the capital town, Fort de France, where he lives with his grandmother in a wooden crate used for bringing a limousine to the island. She takes in washing to buy him the uniform that makes him socially indistinguishable from the white middle-class French boys in his class. But an eloquent Against All Odds recognises the existence of class and caste in American life, but in the earlier picture the hero could get ahead by an act of will, take his girl with him, and think the struggle difficult but worth' while. Here the barriers are uncross able.

The rich are rotten, remote and intransigent. Their influence reaches out to corrupt the environment, taint all human relationships and destroy lives. This was the pessimistic world view of the 1947 filmnoir, Out of the Past (released in Britain as 'Build My Gallows the title of the Daniel Main waring novel on which it was based), has never wanted for admirers. And it established the enduring reputations of Kirk Douglas and Robert Mitchum as, respectively, a demonic gambler and the vulnerable private-eye he hires to track down his fugitive mistress (Jane Greer) in Mexico. Taylor Hackford has now remade it as Against All Odds (General Release, IS), with James Woods standing in for Douglas as a twitchy, psychopathic Los Angeles night-club owner, Jeff Bridges in the Mitchum role as an injured football star open to blackmail, and Rachel Ward as the femme fatale on the run south of the border.

As a gesture to Tourneur's film, Hackford has cast the alluring Jane Greer as Ward's mother, the smooth rich-bitch owner of the LA football team Bridges plays for and as a more general evocation of the film noir era, he has given the silver-haired Richard Wid-mark the part of chief villain. Hackford has had the good idea of replacing the express-ionistic monochrome of the 1940s picture with the hard, cold textures of Metrocolor, and his film gets off to a confident start, working some interesting social variations on the original movie. Another The period detail is accurate enough, but the mood is heavily nostalgic and the events don't always convince. Still, Relin and MacGowran play well together and give their relationship an emotional authenticity. Like 'Rue Cases Cross Creek (ABC Bayswater, etc, PG) is about the education of a writer, the central character being Margaret Kinnan Rawl-ings (Mary Steenbergen), who quit the bright lights of New York in the early 1930s to write gothic novels in the backwoods of Louisiana.

There she found love and the stuff of real literature (or litrichoor ') in the Uvea of her colourful country neighbours. The result was the 1937 Pulitzer Prize novel, 'The which her editor at Scribners, Maxwell Perkins, thought as good as the fiction of his other authors, Hemingway and Fitzgerald. This leisurely, sentimental film provides a cosy, comforting view of the literary life, and we even have the archetypal Hollywood scene of the legendary Perkins (guest appearance by Malcolm McDowell) dropping in on Rawlings on his way back from 'visiting Ernest at Key West to assure her that she's just written a masterwork. The movie is well acted but director Martin Ritt used to get more roughage into his movies than he has been doing recently. Jacques Tourneur's classic nn i 1940s film noir.

but there is a difference, however, bet ween their romantic poetic Musetta overstated costumes, Marcello's brow-slapping and arm-waving, Mimi's simpering but hardly innocent fragility, the carefully tended and varied Bohemian hairstyles (which also usefully suggest the passage of time): these are above all polite ways for the producer to hint to an unsophisticated audience that, if it came to the point, he and they might not altogether agreeabout the work's dramatic aptness, however perfect its music. But the gap between the sententious and the touching is narrow here, as always in vermsmoopera. The big moments are staged with real heart-searching force. And Jarvefelt's detailing is by no means all or even mostly ironic. When Musetta is made to drop a ribbon as she hurries off (already sad rather than angry) at the end of the third act, the effect is both truthful as to mood and useful as to mechanism, since it helps explain why she and Marcello make up so quickly over Mimi's death-bed.

This may not really be necessary (' Boheme is by nature episodic), but it shows pessimism and Hackford harsh prosaic cynicism. Yet, despite the longueurs and the Helen Field as Mimi. Schaunard and Matthew Best's Colline stand out as sharp portraits, very well sung. For the leading singers the main problem is one of balance. Mr Bakels, allowing too little for the open pit of the New Theatre and some upstage placings, lets us hear the (very fine) orchestra sometimes at the expense of the singers.

John Fowler's stylish but far from big voiced Rodolfo is a prime sufferer here, while Helen Field, with her Janacek experience, projects well enough, though her tone is not ideally suave for the part, which may be why she got no applause on the first night for Mi chiamano Mimi, though she deserved it for the intensity and stagecraft of her performance The vocal honours as such are stolen, as so often, by the Musetta, Suzanne Murphy, who underlying callowness, I enjoyed 'Against All though I can't see it lasting the awky, lower-middle-class nglish girl, whose father is way Tourneur film has. Scandalous (Classic, Chelsea 15), a tired Swinging London I comedy-thriller of the 1960s given a rancid top-dressing of MLMBJUBIMBLJSLm iwus punK, provides me aeii- serving with the Eighth Army in the Desert. Secret Places lacks the focus and original vision of two other recent movies that attempt a fresh look at British women in wartime the Richard Eyre Ian McEwan TV-film 'The Imitation Game' and Michael Radford's 'Another Time, nitive answer to the question many people have been asking of late Is there any script or role that John Gielgud would NOW SHOWING Film at I.SS 4.10 6.25 8.45 daily CHELSEA-CINEMA 3513742 206NNOSROADH iNDONSWJ regard as beneath his dignity WHAT'S ON 301-236 1231 WONDERFULLY INGEN OUS mwmm THE TIMES --a play of great theatrical cunninn i wmMiaiiv ZSZ3 FROM 1 MERMAID EC4 tel 236.5568 CC 741.9999 ADELPHI WC2 tel 836.76U CC CRITERION Wl tel 930.3216 CC 379.6565741 .9999 QUEEN'S Wl tel 734 .02610120 Group sales 930.6123 nny warmly recommend V' RV I Cfl Group Sales 930.6123 ALECMcCOWENas LEOMCKcnNln Number One A new comedy by JEAN ANOUILH Adapted by MICHAEL FRAYN GEORGIA BROWN in: Roza Music by GILBERT BECAUD. Book by JULIAN MORE Directed by HAROLD PRINCE. Prevs from June 12.

Opens June 26 the times Group bookings 836.3962 into 836.1071 RICHARD O'SULUVAN, TIM BROOKE-TAYLOR, BERNARD BRESSLAW in Run For Your Wife Written and Directed by RAY COONEY Mon-Fn at 8.00 Thurs at 2.30, Safs at 5.30 8.30 Kipling by BRIAN CLARK CONSTANT uirectea py KUBtKi uiti wtn Eves at 8.00, Mats Wed at 3.00, Sats 5.00 8.15 directed by Patrick Garland Previews May 29, 30 Opens May 31. Limited season INSTANT CREDIT CARD BOOKING FOR WEST END SHOWSincluding: ATOWERING PERFORMANCE" ROYAL COURT SW1 tel 730.1745 CC Cries From The Mammal House DONMAR WAREHOUSE WC2 tel 836.3028 CC 379.6565 POPPE NONOENAttie award winning play wffii music. Bv TERRY JOHNSON. NATION ALTHEATRE SE1 tel 9282252 CC 928.5933 into 928.8126. Restaurant 9282033 Fully air cond National Theatre Company OLIVIER (Open Stage) DOLLS.

May 14, 15. 17 at 7 .15. May 16 at2.00&7 15 SAINT JOAN byShow.Mayl8at7 15. Mayl9at2.O0&7 15 A1BERY WC2 tel 836.3878 CC 379.6565741.9999 Group Sales 930.6123836.3962 SIMMON CALLOW and JAMES WARWICK in On The Spot me edgar wAUACt classic Directed by ROBERT WALKER Eves 8.00. Thurs Mat 3 00, Sats 6.00 8.40 UAIUTMAIL LEO DIcKERU LORRAINE BRUNNING.

NIZWAR KARANJ, SARAH LAM, DAVID LYON, ROGER REES, TIM ROTH JENNIE STOLLER, LEO WRINGER Mon-Sat at 8.00 rrommeMarkeiinearrftJonannesDerg.Mon-baiaiB.uu Mat Wed at 200 LATE ft UVE Singers, Comedians. Live Music, Dancing Food Drink. After any West End show, Thurs-Sat ll.Q0pm-1.00am LYTTELION Proscenium Staae III I HUTU lil Wft GOLDEN BOY by Clifford Odets. Low price prevs May 15, SADLER'S WELLS EC1 tel 278 8916 CC 278 8916 On The Spot The Importance Run for Your Wife Poppie Nongena Strange Interlude On Your Toes Pygmalion The Mousetrap Passion Play Open Air Theatre at Regent's Park ALDWYCH WC2 tel 836.6404379.6233 CC TIM RICE STEPHEN OLIVER'S new musical 16. 17, 18, 19 at 7.4b COTTESLOE (Small Auditorium low once tickets! ANTIGONE by Sophocles May 15.

16, 18 at 7.30. Opens Into 278.5450 Group sales 930 6123 London Contemporary Dance Theatre May 15-26 nwo Programmes) Prog 1 CANSO TROBARNEW GAULEO7S0NGS, DUCHESS WC2 tel 836.8243 CC 741 .9999 Group sales 930.6123 Keith Prowse (no bkg lee) Snoopy The Musical Over 250 performances Now booking throughout 1984 Sun at 4.30, Tues-Tfiurs at 8.00, Fri Sat 6.00 8.30 Blonde) starring PAUL NICHOLAS OWE' Annroometyty JBABTAUOUILH Mon-rn ui aais ui i.uv at wea Mar ui o.vju May 17 at 730. May i arzau Platform Performoncesljve Early-Evening Foyer Music Car ParkTours of the BuildingExhibitionsBars BuffetsBookshops LAMENTATIONS PRAISES, lues, Wed, inurs. Kl, Sat ot 7.30. London Premier).

AMBASSADORS WC2 tel 836.1171 CC 741.9999 SAVOY WC2 tel 836.8888 CC 379.6219836 0479 The Award winning West End Broadway Comedy NEW LONDON WC2 tel 405.0072 CC 4044079 Group sales 930.6123 Cats The ANDREW LLOYD WEBBERT ELIOT Musical JOHN QUAYLE, AMANDA BARRIE, ROBERT FLEMYNG, CHRISTOPHER GODWIN, LYNDA BELLINGHAM. BERNARD HOLLEY Group sales 930 6123 The importance The musical version ot OSCAR WILDE's The Importance of Being Earnest. DUKE OF YORKS WC2 tel 836.5122 CC 836.9837 Group sales 930.6123 GLENDA JACKSON, BRIAN COX, EDWARD PFJHERBRIDGE JAMES HAZELDINE, JOHN PHILLIPS in: Strange Interlude By EUGENE O'NEILl Directed by KEITH HACK Eves only Mon-Sat at 6.00 AND RESERVED NCP PARKING SPACES FOR SPEED AND CHOICE WITHOUT SERVICE CHARGES RING THE FAST TICKET SERVICE ANYTIME BETWEEN 9am and 8pm (Monday to Saturday) Just one call: NOiSeS Off bv MICHAEL FRAYN International Award Winning Musical New Booking Period to August 1984 Eves 7.45, Mats Tues and Sat 3.00 Over 850 perls Directed by MICHAEL BLAKEMORE Kea price prevs trom May 23. Mon-t-n at b.UO Sat at 5.30 8.30 Tues Mat at 3.00 Mon-t-n ina. mots weas at j.uu bars a.uu ana ts.3U i'ETERBLYTHE SHAFTESBURY WC2 tel 836.65967 CC 741.9999 APOLLO Wl tel 4372663 434.3598 CC OLD VIC SE1 tel 928.7616 CC 261 1821 GrouD sales 930.6123 The Market Theatre Company Johannesburg in: Saturday Night at the Palace PETER 0T00LE JOHN THAW, JACK WATLING, JOYCE CAREY.

BARBARA MURRAY, LALLY BOWERS. JACKIE SMrTH-WOOD in-. Pygmalion by george Bernard shaw SUSAN GEORGE PATRICK MOWER and JOHN STRIDE in The Country Girl FORTUNE WC2 tel 836.2238 CC 741.9999 Groupsales930.6123 LIONEL BLAIR, CAROLE BROOKE in Mr. Cinders music by vivian elus Eves at 8.00, Sot Mat at 4.30. Thurs Mat at 3.00 (Half price matinee sects for children) AHTHOHY SHARP RUBY HEAD A new play by paul slabolepszy Ends May 19 Eves at 7.30 Mat Wed at 2.30.

Sats at 4.00 7.45 by CLIFFORD 0DETS. Directed by ROBIN LEFEVRE Mon-Fn 8.00. Sat 5.30 8.30. thurs Mat at 3.00 Directed by KAY DUUNbY Rea price prev May 14. Opens May 1 5 at 7.00.

Eves at 8.00. Sats at 5.30 8.30 Dlmudby ROBERT GHRTWYN ST. MARTIN'S WC2 tel 836.1443 CC 741 9999 OLDVICSEltel928.616SCC26U821 AGATHA CHRISTIE'S ALBERT FINNEY, EILEEN ATKINS, MAX WALL, GARRICK WC2tel 8364601 CC Group sales 930 6123 No Sex, Please We're British The Mousetrap World's longest ever runl 32nd Year GRAHAM CROWDEN, ALUN ARMSTRONG WILlOUGHBY GODDARD in Serjeant Musarave's Dance The world's longest running comedy sukky no reaucea pnees ar any nme irom any source Mon-Fn at 8.00. Tues at 2.45, Sats at 5.00 8.00 now in rrs ism year uver o.uuu penormances Eves at 8 00. Mat Wed at 3.00.

Sate 5.00 8.00 I LowpnceprevMay22at .30 opens Moy23at7.ou sub Eves730WedMats2.30(fromMay30),Sats4.00&7.45 Plays Bank Holiday May 28 OPEN AIR NW1 tel 4862431 CC 379.6433 GLOBE Wl tel 437.1592 CC Group sales 930.6123 ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER presents The Comedy of the Year SWET Awardsl983 Daisy Pulls It Off CCHotline486.1933 The New Shakespeare Company Ronald Eraser. Kate O'Maia. Philippe Gail Dora Brvan STRAND WC2 tel 836 2660836.41435190 CC The Award winning West End Broadway play SUSAN PENHAUGON, PAUL SHELLEY. JUDY GEESON, RICHARD WARWICK in The Real Thing by tom stoppard Over 600 perfs. Directed by PETER WOOD Mon-Fn at 7 30, Mats Wed at 2.30.

Sats at 5 .00 8.30 APOLLO VICTORIA SW1 tel 834.69196184 CC Group sales 930 6123 Party bookings 828 6188 Starlight Express Music by ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER Lyrics by RICHARD STILGOE Chor by ARLENfc PHILLIPS Dir by TREVOR NUNN. Eves at 8.00, Tues Sat at 3.00 8.00 BARBICAN EC2 tel 628.8795638.8891 CC Air Cond. Royal Shakespeare Company BARBICAN THEATRt MEASURE FOR MEASURE. May 14, 15 THE COMEDY OF ERRORS. May 16.

17 18. 19 Cheap day seats trom lO.OOam THE PIT VOLPONE by Ben Jonson May 14, 15 LIFE'S A DREAM byCalderon de la Barca. May 16-18, 19 Eves at 7.30. Mats at 2.00 THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR. Prevs from June 1 by UtNISEDtEGAN Directed by DAVID GILMORc 2nd Year Eves 8.00.

Mats Wed 3.00, Sat 5.00 I A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM. From June 18 BASHVULE. The Bernard Shaw musical From July 30 HAYMARKETSWItet930.9832CCGroupsales930.6123 RtX HARRISON, ULAUUtltt UULBfcRI, NICJULA FAfcitl I. PALACE Wl tel 437 6834 CC 437.8327 Group sales 930.6123 NATALIA MAKAROVA On Your Toes VAUDEVILLE WC2 tel 836.9988836.5645 CC PATRICIA HODGE OLIVER COTTON, TIM PIGOTT-SMim. BRENDABLETHYNin: MICHAEL FRAYN new play Benefactors Directed by MICHAEL BLAKEMORE.

Eves7.45. Mats Wed 2.30 Sats5.00&8.30 Aren't We All. by Frederick lonsdale Directed by CLIFFORD WILLIAMS Prevs from Junel2 Opens June 20 (no mat June 20) Mon-Sat ot 7.30, Mats Wed at 2.30, Sots at 3.00 The RODGERS HART musical. Original Choreography by GEORGE BALANCHINE Directed by GEORGE ABBOTT Prevs from Moy 31 lbert Finne Uileen Ukins Max Wall I Graham Crowden Mini Armstrong COLISEUM WC2 tel 836.3161 CC 240.5258 English National Opera THE MAGIC FLUTE May 14. 16.

18 at 7.30 THE SICILIAN VESPERS Moy 15 at 7.00 DER ROSEN KAVALIER May 17 at 7.00 WESTMINSTER SW1 tel 834.0283 CC Limited run until June 9 Long Day's Journey Into Night By EUGENE O'NEILL Mon-Sat at 7.00 Red price seats on Mondays, concessions or UB40 s. Equity, Nurses OAFs HER MAJESTYS SW1 tel 930.66067 CC 930.40256 West Side Story Book by ARTHUR LAURENTS. Music by LEONARD BERNSTEIN. Lyrics by STEPHEN SONDHEIM Original production Directed and Choreographed by JEROME ROBBINS Red Price Prevs until May 15 Opens May 16 PHOENIX WC2 tel 836.861122945 CC 741.9999 Groupsales 930.6123 Peg Starring SIAN PHILLIPS introducing ANN MORRISON as "Peg" A new musical by DAVID HENEKER. Directed by IAN JUDGE Eves 8.00 MatsThurs at 3.00.

Sats at 5.00 8.30 MUSICAL 'ttMtDY WilloughbyGoddard WYNDHAM'S WC2 tel 836.3028 CC 379.6565 BARRY FOSTER, JUDY PARFtTT. LESLIE PHILLIPS, ZENA WALKER in PETER NICHOLS' PaSSlOn Play Directed by MIKE OCKRENT Best Play Standard Drama Award 1981. Mon-Fri 8.00. Sats 5.00 8.30. Wed Mats 3.00.

LYRIC Wl tel 437.3686 CC 434.1050 MICHAEL WILLIAMS, MARY MILLER, BARBARA LEIGH-HUNT JOSS ACKLAND Pack of Lies A new play by HUGH WHfTEMORE Directed by CLIFFORD WILLIAMS Eves at 7.30, Mat Wed at 3 00. Sats at 5 .00 8 15 PICCADILLY Wl tel 437.4506 CC 379.6565 Info 836.1071 Group bookings 836.3962 At Nine The Musical Cabaret Starnng ARTURO BRACHETTI Supper, Dancing, Midnight Cabaret Supper from 7.00. Lote night admission trom 11.00 COLISEUM WC2 tel 836.3161 CC 240.5258 London Festival Ballet May22-juneie Onegin by John Cranko May 22 -May 26, Eves at 7.30. Sat Mat at 2 30. Royol Gala Pert (London Premier) to book- 581.1245.

Concessions lor the young, elderly reg unemployed ma LONDON PALLADIUM. 01-437 ARTS THEATRE. 836 2132 LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT i by Eugene O'Neill. Last Pen Ton 7. 1 5.

visit to the Arts is recommen COMEDY SW1 tel 930.2578 CC 839 1438 Best Musical of the Year 1983 Stonrlnrrt rVoo Award Little Shop OF HORRORS JUtort-Thurs at 8.00, Fri Sot at 6.00 8.4b PRINCE EDWARD Wl tel 437.6877 CC 439.8499631.1101 Group sales 930.6123 Evita by TIM RICE ana ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER Directed by HAROLD PRINCE Eves 8.00. MatsThurs Sat at 3.00 ded' Obs. MAYFAIR Wl tel 629 3036 CC 629.3036 Group sales 930.6123 RICHARD TODD. ERIC LANDER, VIRGINIA STRIDE in The Business of Murder By Richard Harris Fourth Year. Over 1,250 performances Eves at 8.00, Fri Sat 5.40 8.10 CC -Credit Cards All these theatres normally accept most credit cards at the Box Office and also by telephone.

7373. Eves 7.30, Mats Wed Sat 2.4S. FIRST EVER STAGE PRODUCTION TOMMY STEELE in SINGIN IN THE RAIN wHb ROY CASTLE NOTE: CAST ON HOLIDAY UNTIL SATURDAY (MAY 19). PERFS RESUME AS NORMAL MAY 21. Ctedit Card hotlines Tel 01-437 7373 or 01-437 2055.

NOW BOOKINO TO FEBRUARY 1985. IIDAMCCIE SHAW 388 1394 cc 3876293. Ibsen' GHOSTS. Lynn Farleigh, William HoyUnd, Simon Chandler, Lysetta Anthony, Bob Mason. Previews Mon 14lh, Tue 15th 7.30, 2.00 (1.00 cone).

Opens Wed 16th 7.00 Thur, Fri 7.30. Sat 2.30 A 7.30. 4.00 (2.00 cone). byJolmArden PRINCE 0FWALESW1 tel 930.8681 CC 930.0844 RUSS ABBOT. SHEILA WHITE in: Little Me A musical Comedv S-Student Standby Reduced price seats tor students just before performance if available.

COVENT GARDEN WC2 tel 240 10661911 CC THE ROYAL OPERA HOUSE A MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM Tomor Thurs at 7.30pm L'EUSIR O'AMORE Tue Fn at 7.30pm AGON RETURN TO THE STRANGE LAND FLEETMO ABUSES Wed at 7.30Dm MERMAID EC4 tel 236.5568 CC 236.5324 SHEILA GISH in A Streetcar Named Desire by TENNESSEE WILLIAMS Last weeks. Season must end May 26 Eves at 7.45. Mat Sat at 3.00 Oomis 23 Mav far fi wacks TUP PI ire TUV1TDC Hi in GREENWICH THEATRE 01-858 775S. Eveninn 7.4S. Mats Sat 2.30 THE SEAGULL by Anton Chekhov.

003 1 Kibbutz Dance Company from Israel. Highly disciplined, beauti- Prevs trom May 15 Opens May 30 at 7.00 Eves at 7.30 iviars May June i men every inurs bar ai uu ROMEO AND JULIET Sat at 7.30pm BOX OFFICE: 01-928 7616 Tupf IVftP CHEDlT CARDS: 01-261 1 821 I HCULU uircciea oy rmup rrowie. Memorable production F. Times. Delights the eye and satisfies the brain Guardian.

iuuy uoioca uancers rvew rorK Times. Tues. 1 5 Thurs. 17 May. p.m.

3.75, 17 Duke Rd, WCI. (Opp. Euston Tube)..