The Observer from London, Greater London, England • 30

30 he i stor yteller WEffiMt, low ait JENNIFER SELWAY on BBC2's latest Arena series. PHILIP FRENCH talks to the director of Southern Comfort rtv.ii- si WALTER HILL is a jovial, on movies and in touch with stocky, bearded man with an the fringes of Hollywood. I replies, when asked about his approach to narrative. He sees himself as an old-fashioned storyteller, but one who gives expanding waistline that did my homework for the next threatens to obscure his belt, few years and sat around cafes Central casting might send him talking about films and politics to- the audience onJy the bare alolfig to appear as a with friends," he recalls. The minimum of information about in a gritty realistic his characters.

The charac 'homework consisted of endless odd jobs, the most considerable ters should reveal themselves through the way they face their he remarks of his The actors need to know more, because they must not be perceived as of which were working as second assistant director on movies like Peter Yates's Bullitt and Martin Ritt's The Great White Meanwhile he wrote screen But there have to be limits to what they're told in plays that nobody bought. Eventually the scripts began terms of background. I'm not; to. his name appeared as you may have noticed, a follower of a lot of modern should fear to tread. I know that you can end up looking pretentious.

But I'm not altogether intolerant of pretension, because it can be regarded as a wish by film-makers" to get beyond the subject and' say something Critics of the series have argued that Arena-' programmes atfe either bafflingly esoteric, too ecletic, or simply about things which don't really matter. Others find in their dazzling style, and the practice of placing their subjects in a wide cultural context, the formula for. all arts documentaries. Yentob is not so dogmatic It's not a question of saying which sort of arts programme is the best. There's room for all kinds, and I certainly don't think every programme should be like Arena.

With the Fourth Channel the whole area of- arts programming is going to expand He welcomes-the new-look Omnibus, -which returns to BBC1 in January (presented by Barry Norman), because he, believes the. BB(J3 ought to offer a mainstream ar)s magazine. For the new .4 Arena. series Leslie Megahey, late 'of 1 is making a film about the return of Picasso's 4 Guernica to Spain. But back to the Mona Half-concealed behind bulletproof glass and jostling tourists, she's almost impossible to see in by surprise.

Yentob believes that when people talk of the Arena film they usually mean the ones made in what he calls the My Way (' My Way was Nigel Finch's arch film about the song of the same name.) It's the mischievous arts documentary that teeters on the brink of bad taste, like the thing we did on great failures, with Stephen Pile and David The Mona Lisa film is in this vein too, as was Nigel Finch's programme on New York's Chelsea Hotel, and the Superman edition. These 4 Arenas are the ones that stand as little works of art in their own right, though 1 Yentob says that he doesn't think artiness should be regarded as i priority. The campest programme in the new season promises-to be one on the Ford Cortina, 1961-81. You could say about the Cortina that it's a car of some says1 Yentob, nearly straight-faced, but perhaps because of its brdinaririess it's a car which tells you a lot about a lot of Quite so, but is it art Take a bad.print of the Mona he replies. 4 Is that art Well, for a Jot of people, it is.

You can come across art in the most surprising places. Television ought to confront the way real life and art scratch, past each other. I know this is an area where angels BBC2's arts documentary series, returns on Tuesday with Have You Seen the Mona Lisa directed by Gina Newson, who made the impressive; Man Alive documentary Vital on the delicate subject of cosmetic breast surgery. It's her first film for 1 She approached, the series editor, Alan Yentob, with the idea earlier this year. She said she had an idea for the perfect Arena says Yentob.

She was right, because we'd already thought of it. It's a little, embarrassing to be so predictable. So what is the definition of an Arena film How can an arts series made by different directors on a huge-variety of subjects have a recognisable look What has Yentob done to achieve this in the four years since he took over.y the not very successful studio-bound programme that Arena once was Most of the programmes are made, entirely on' film and. do not dispense tcohyehtioiiy coiri-men uiry al tpgetheri which gives them an agreeably loose, anarchic quality, quite different from that of ITV's The South Bank There Melvyn Bragg, appears and tells you what's going to happen arid it happens. Arena tehds.tb take.you reguJarly' on pictures ranging from the low-budget private-eye movie Hickey and Boggs to John Huston's expensive spy story The Mackintosh Man.

Most were hopelessly compromised by bad casting, re-writing and ignorant "interference by psychological Curiously, Hill's biggest box-office success has been the SF-horrbr flick which he co-scripted and produced with his long-time business partner, David Giler, but had no wish to direct, being impatient with the 'intricacies of. SE. 4 I was La Gioconda. Revered and abused. the Louvre.

Yet, through base of reproduction, she has become known images in Wesfefn; world. She 'and "abused featuredui ativerts fopeveiythMg from cream to nucrbi pbftraif Is indisputably high- art: It- has also become very tow arf It's this' mess of- cohtradictioHs which' Gina Newson's film examf inesi'. "oblklue manner whichl'is tb hallmark-, of the-v-Arepa You Seen the MonaJisa.A '-It-is aS.much ustras it is, about 'itself 't's fun," it also i encourages, the recpgnitipn When, confronted. with La' Giocondaf it might mafie uloibfc'. firsr time': Ahb' that's a 'ignifl-cant televisfo'ni" Because, the most, popular visual.

-mediwtf rarely persuades tpj anyV. thing yery In fact, at 39, he is one of the most interesting and fastidious directors at work in America today. His latest picture Southern Comfort (re-; viewed on Page 29), an ex-! traordinary tale of an American Army unit fighting for survival i against the native swamp-; dwellers in modem Louisiana, is the fifth he has directed since in 1975. j'-Jspiirs name is often linked wjjjh Coppola, Scorsese, De Raima and the so-called wfeyie Brats who grew up movie-crazy, attended film-j schools and took Hollywood by storm in the 1970s. This is a mistake.

I belong more to the flasrgeneration that didn't go to "he says. Growing up in Long Beach, California, he felt far from Hollywood and was just a normal film-goer, not a movie fbue; His father was a riveter, tend later foreman, in the local jtiayat dockyard, the family Scoring originally from Tennesseee and Mississippi- one of those fallen Southern I families, shirt-sleeves to shirt-I sleeves in three generations' Three of his five movies his 'first, The his Western 'The Long Riders and this new film ihave taken him back to the producers. I he only one he takes real pride in is The sent this. Fifties-style B-feature the 1972 pursuit script, and I thought that given thriller that provided Steve high-tech, professional polish and off-beat casting you could make commercial movie. It's the only time I know where a strictly commercial project turned out to make money.

Southern is a personal project, and it has run into trouble from three groups. Some radicals have thought it elitist that the 'film's, two educated characters are the only ones to survive. (To Hill --''j I' McQueen with one of his best roles and proved to be Sam Peckiripah's most profitable film, Hill knew he couJd write, direct and produce better than most of the people he had been associated with, and when he got the chance his 10-year apprenticeship had served him well The normal progression to direction is. from the work of he observes. But direction is a physical process, and whatever theories you' have in your knapsack, you have to go out there and face a crew of 70 as well as -the actors.

It's a circus atmosphere. It's also a puzzle, and you' have to know everyone's part in One thing that fortified him was working with so many craftsmen whose careers reached back to the earliest days of ALEXANDER BLAND on the Northern Ballet Theatre. South. Hill's teenage ambition was jto be a comic-book illustrator i(the-. style of his street-gang picture The Warriors rejects this interest) and he lenrolled at 17 in the arts 'programme at the University of une Americas tine Americas in Mexico Citv K' Afe the man in the Western fsaa; vt seemed like a good idea His idols and jai the time ') before switching mentors were the adventurer- unite-university ot Michigan, directors Raoul Walsh, How ,000 mues awav.

to comolete these two survivors were trie ones who've moved beyond the. programmed Members of the Cajun community of Louisiana objected to being cast the role of enemies of the US The liquor company which manufactures Southern Comfort we're worried that the film might harm' sales, of their product! They haye been variously propitiated His future plans are uncertain He likes to keep to a movie a year, arid has a reserve pile of unfilmed screen-plays (' Southern Comfort had been 'asleep in our trunk since 1976 '). On the table of his London hotel suite was a paperback thrilier by a highly regarded cri me writer whose work has yet to reach' the screen. Sure-fire stuff you' might think, but in the present Hollywood climate the big-, companies are loath, to finance the kind of traditional genre pictures through which Hill expresses his vision of the American quest. I often say tliatVevery film I've done has been a- he observes, knowiflgat- in- tSes aljle when the hotcH-potbK score alto wsibut-they become monoto-: TJiey.

Jbig demands dnithe pernirmets who emerge very edftably Alexandra Worrafi'aiid Sui Kah'Ghiahg lahdstylisfaj Serge ibxmoe leaps ajjipjand-beats without flagging wejl trainedabd this is chilly vision; eye thecpinic -Mechpicals seem- hetiessIt makes one- sigh a cpsily- romannc.nmetetl-cen-.tuiy yersipn. .1 Two-, much -more modest yis-itors from thVnorth were.in London-last weeje at Smdi6srthA.y,Vcpm-,iaay': and the.East: viiMfM his degree studying history and English literature. "On graduation he moved" back Los Angeles and killed income awaiting military call-writing scripts for 'cut-fcCjce- historical documentary CJras- for use in classrooms. mingly arranged so ii tha Flower Waltz in the last The Snow Queen arid the Act pas de deux, in- the credited) Ivanov original, were very danced -'5y Suj Kan Chiang, well partnered' by the personable Serge Lavoie. The strongest performances came from Alexandra Worrall and Olivier Munoz in.

the divertissement pleasant but a bit short. baroaKicand mystery. The second offering, de Warren's 4- Midsummer Night's was as surprising 4 The Nutcracker was safe'; Mendelssohn has set a Victorian stamp on thisrstory, reinforced by many dramatic productions and by Ashton's inspired ballet version it is hard to see it with i fresh eyes. But de has rejected the- familiar and given us something nearer.to Continental revue) with fantistic and inventive. French-style, de Plot, humour apd are largely ignored in'favour of a forward affair reminiscent of the old Festival Ballet version well rehearsed, decently danced with some pretty costumes (by Peter Farmer) The chqreographer Andre Prokovsky, has surmounted the inherent difficulties in the ballet by simply ignoring them Many people feel that the naif original plot is unacceptable today and Unworthy of Tchaikovsky's score, arid various ingenious, attempts have been made to give it more significance and coherence: Prokovsky has made no such concessions there is no connection between the three scenes other than the presence of little Clara as an onlooker (for some reason she is not played by a child).

But each is an; improvement on the last. The rather homely opening is marred by a decidedly modern Dr Drossel-meyer, a mere hired conjurer, and the magic Christmas Tree is unimpressive. But1 -the. children are enchanting and the purely classical SnowfUkes are char-; THE natural reaction in hard times is to trim the edges and consolidate the- centre, How pleasant to. see last week at Sadler's Wells an example of the opposite trend.

The Northern Ballet Theatre is paseid on Manchester it was founded in 1969, a' cHild of the expansive movement fostered by the Arts Council in the piping days of the Sixties Today; under" Robert de the troupe of 26 classically dancers not only plays for six weeks every year in the Greater Manchester area, but has a busy touring schedule. It is right that it should appear regularly in London, but this raises problems. It must plan with an eye on regional audiences and its resources are limited The results can well, appear over-simple, to more experienced metropolitan palates. The opening production, The was a fair example. Not aiming to compete with the big companies in spectacle or innovative daring, it is a straight One-was about James Marshall, ard Hawks and John Ford.

He sent the 90-year-old Walsh the draft script for his crime mpyie The Driver to" see if he approved. Walsh did. Hill is continuing, or reviving, the tradition of American narrative cinema, rather than doing anything radical. He doesn't, however, try to im-" itate the older directors' pictures. There are no knowing allusions to their work, and the strongest direct influence on any of his films is that of the painter Edward Hopper on The like mythic elements, fables, a cultural continuity with-literary Hill arpenter whose discovery- aid at Sutter's Mill trig- the Californian gold rusn A counle of years later ave been on my way to am, but in 1964 the vtept ia la had as a child was gh to get me turned Ml, the wake of Hcaven'svGate.

Hill found himself hooked Walter Hill Writing, producing, directing the genre is -3 Va; WJHAT'S ON i i it I. i ii -J. leatres Indicates most credit eafdt lifted. for telenhon boakinra or fbr box office. fiJwidicatcs unsold nan as cut LSWf Students just, before liTW! SUipraw mwBk -'V'' 01-74121511 meiftirmtmn fnMtVfMfiniwuv' i n-ntMrm onvfAm.nwrM ttpotiieam.

from 29a VICTORIA PALACE OPENS DEC 21st mi mum LAVBF0ZR ksz-mm -mmmsrm i sha wmm isai I I I 'HWllllg I nK ne 1 "HIlaHous a capilsil way 10 taI ah. 1. tm I I ni hi mil II 1 nuaws wmium ALBEKY. 836 3878. cc 379 930 0731, Gn bkas 36 3M283 I 3092.

vn 7.30. Thim Sal Mac Xeitp9 B0? JS SS JSX I jSZSZpr'' I I Zrffflk- n. I Oeci 21. Dailif 10.30 a.m.. 2.0 Seal Prices.

Iron 3.50. Rtn tele- EXIZABETH'COIJNSELL- lrr PRESENT-LAUGHTERS "JHE BEST tOF -NOEL COWARD'S TUAYS A' TOTAL TIMES." MES. Groupi'Salei iot Omee--01-3797 6061 1 av im jibt -u r. 5 wri aiBw 1 1 1 a bh bh 1 1 1 i.w. Tieror Eve, ElizabcLh Qulnn In CHILDREN OF A LESSER -GOD Rivetinn plecs of drama Qda.

CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD lATIJINaT. towmr 2252. OLIVIER copen nasei romor lue B-mm5l6 IJASKl-WtCri. MtB'l-tBU -r 't -r r'-r Wed 7.15 inur i.oa tiow once man Enthralling arid caaving Times MdTeleitataOI'2000200 CBtBTCABBUCgftB. THE HYPOCHONDRIAC Le Malide Imaxlnairc) by Moliere.

VICTORIA. PALACE, cc" 01 01iS34 CHILDREN OF A LESSER GOD Fri 7.15 S3t 2.0U it 7.15 MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING by Matinees yykdA Sat .2.43.:. STUNNING Financial Tlmcj. PRINCE Of THEATRE; 930 8681. C'card bookings 930 084G, PAUL DANIELS in -IT'S -MAGIC TRIUMPH Fn Times.

Ar WINNER Variety. PURI2 Sun Mirror. Mori-Thura at 7J0, Frl, Sal 5.30 8.00. Sales 379 6061. RAYMOND REVUEBAR.

734. 1593. Al -7 p.m., 9 P.m.,. 1.1 j.dv: Open Sun. PAUL RAYMOND OF EROTICA New Acts! New Girls! New Thrills I Fully Air Conditioned: 23rd SENSATIONAL: YEAR Shakeiveaie, LYTTELTON (proscenium state) Tomor Tue.

Wed 7.30 WHO'S Group rsaia 01-379 ANNIE UNBEATABLE FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT: OMEGA SHOW GUIDE -r- I Miijb -W) I I I. jj 1 1 i'i i iii.ui AIL MY SONS 'LASTi-CiWEEKSf- ADELPHI. cc 7611 D'OYLY CARTE with 7 operas by GILBERT amf SULLIVAN Nov I8-Fcb 27, ns Mac Wed Sal 2.30. Bnx OBice now open. Credit card hoillne 01-930 0731.

urtns 2 TEUEMB1R'-' AFRAID OK YIKUirsiA rOOL(7 by Edward Albee. Thur. Fri 7.4S. Sat J.00 St 7.45 ON THE RAZZLE by Tom' SiAppardi COTTESLOE (small auditorium low price ikis) Tomor Tue, Wed. Tour 7.30 CAR1TAS new play by Arnold Weaker.

Fri 7.30. Sat 3.00 A 7.30 THE MAYOR OF ZALA-msts. hw 'rnlderan- HALF MOON NEW THEATRE. 213 Mile End Road, El. (790 40U0J.

HOSANNA by Michael TrembJay. Gloriously affirmative excellent Fl Fine performances notably well directed D. Tel. Directed by Bill Fryde with Jim Hooper Ian Oetder. Perform, antes Mon-Sat p.m.

Nov. 7 it 14 at 11 p.m. I I WW9KUMTiKm CAN'T TAY WON'T PAY I OF A 'Y LESSER GOD feEDUCATING RITA CtWH Card sales 379 6565 from WSl.lATt maim cards. Nn bScit fees. Sjjluicd price Group bkas 836 nandhy 2.90.

HE! VICTORIA- 4735601-834 1317. Opens Decjlsf JOHN INMAN" ARTHUR LOWE IAN. VENDER In MOTHER GOOSE ARTS. S3 33342132. Evm ROYAL COURT, OCU730 J74S, ISM S.30 p.m.

Steven Berkofl'i From Wed BORDERLINE, a JOITJI Eicellent cheap iean day of serf all Group Sales 379, ,6061 Tcledata 2Jftoitrs). 1' StockRoyal Court oroduclion. 2 tJcu for tbe price of 1 for any peat it booked before noon 5 Nov. 3 meatrea. -aiso nHnooy.

inin before start. Car park. Restaurant 92ft 2033. Credit cards bkss 928 WAREHOUSE, Donmar Theatre, NT also, at HER MAJESTY'S. SADLER'S WELLS, THEATRE, cc' 278 U871.

Grp: Sales 379 .6061... JOSEPH Jk THE HA MP STEAD THEATRE. 722 9301. IN THE MOOD by Michael Abbensetu GRIT AND BLACK GOLD" Sid. I found It eiuemely tunny A.

brilliantly written. It's a play D. Caute K'tcape BBC Radiu 4. Last Week. NEW LONDON, cc Dairy.

Lane; Earlqam. Street; Coyenr Garden. Box Omce- 836 6808. ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COM PAN :AW.EM$.t.P.n& Nov. The production left me with Intense, and abiding excitement -S Times.

"Also book-lns THrRTEIiWTH NIGrTT Kfrom A A 2 I DREAM- COAT. Opens 23 Dea Bits Now Open. URURY LANE. Theatre Royal, cc KJ6 SlOrf. Opening Feb 4.

frevlev.1 Feb- 2 3. AN EVENING'S INTERCOURSE Evii Tuts A Sal 1,1 8.0i CATS THE ANDREW LLOYD WEB- BERT. MUSICAL ADDITIONAL BOX 'OFFICE Tat SAVOY. cc 01-836 8888. For credit card bookinas ring 930 0731- with BARRY HUMPHRIES 9.30-6.0, Sat 9.30-4.30).

Evas 8.0. isoyj, oi at (rrbrh 18 Nov! For 10 weeks only. Now vt. HAYMARKET THEATRE ROYAL. .930 9832.

Ooenina Nov 10 -for a season. Direct from Broadway, return to London of An evening DAVE ALLEN "I find him absolutely hilarious, positively one of the oritinal comedians In the world today. Great Oive Barnes. NY Times. Mat Tours 3.0, Saturday o.u et -GERALD HARPER-- 1 SYLVIA SYMS 'irt FRANCIS DURBRIDGE'S' HIT.

THRILLER. HOUSE GUEST- With PHILIP STONE "A REALLY EXCITING THRILLER. IT NEVER RELAXES ITS GRIP Tel. OVER 200 PERES. normal meattc -Centre (neat- lo Wyndharfla Theatre), Charlria Group Sale, 01.405 0075 or, 01-379 -6061.

Sorry no leats avail till' Dec apply, dally to Box: tor retnrM. Eatra perf iXmas Eve 3 a.m..LATE-C NOT ADMITTED WHILE AUDITORIUM IS-IN MOTION. PLEASE BE PROMPT. Bars open 1 hr prior. DUKE OF YORKS 836 5122.

Credit cards 836 0837. Group Sulci 374 6061. Evits 8.0. Half price mat Triors 3.0. Mat Sat 5.0 8.15 sharp.

SIMON PATRICK CALLOW RYECART Jrr J. P. DONLEAVY'S BOOZY, BAWDY, SENSUOUS, ANARCHIC AND FUNNY D. Mail. Tbi Bcaitly Beutliodei ol BALTHAZAR WAS EVER RAND1NESS FUN-NIE-R D.

Tel. WHOLLY ENCHANTING. AN UNMISSABLE ADULT TREAT" Punch. 3Bra2JEM WESTMINSTER THEATRE," CO flox Office. 01-814.

0283. GAVIN AND THE -MONSTER -New Aluslca.) for, Cbrlstrnaa season. Nov 17-Jan '23. B6ok Now 1 WHITEHALL. '839 6975.

930-'8012 7765 oi 930 66934. roup: Sales '379-6061. i'A JOHN THORNE WELLS are DISGRACEFULLY HILAR-IOUS Ep. in i "'ANYONE DENIS THE' SOUND' "OF GENUINELY 3- LAUGH ETt TO7' OUR THEATRE" F.T? V' HER MAJESTY'S 930 6606 cc 930 4025fi. Grp bkits 379 6061.

Mon to Fri at 7.30. Sal 3.0 St 7.30. FRANK FINLAY IN THE NATIONAL THEATRE'S MULTI-AWARD WINNING INTERNATIONAL SMASH HIT AMADEUS by PETER SHAFFER Directed by PETER HALL Tremendous play gigantic bon office success B. Levin. Tms.

BBTffrlftlill msmmM SHAFTESBURY. cc -Shaftesbury Ave, WC2. Box Office 836 6596 or 836 4255. Credit card bkas '930 0731 (4 lines) (Saturdays and 379 6565. THE NEW STAR COMBINATION MARTIN SHAW GEMMA CRAVEN THEY'RE PLAYING OUR SONG Hit MUSICAL A REAL STUNNER OAFs 4 (Wed Mat only), best seats CinMUi tA -Ril OLD VIC 928 76167S cc 261 1821 TOAD OF TOAD HALL.

14 Dec to 30 Jan. NOW-BOOKING. PALACE cc 437 6834 Opens Nov 3 at 7.00. Subs icvus 7.30. Mats Wed Sat 3.00, No mat 4th Nov.

ROLL ON 4 O'CLOCK Written directed by. COLIN WELLANDi A SUPERB PIECE OF WORFC. HUGE ENJOYMENT Tel. "HILARIOUS Tel. ma Enjoy prc-slmw supper al Cafe Charco (Lcic Sq and a enod Malls Mqn-iat Sat Mat 6 p.m.

SSecial Mat Wed, '3D TJcc, 3 p.ln. seat lor only i.Kll. lei. S30 47411. KING'S HEAD :26 1916.

Dnr 7. Show 8. STEAFEL SOLO Sheila Stcafel in cabaret. willy, full of lun D. Tel.

Estra. pert Tnnislit CAMBRIDGE THEATRE. 70406056. Eves 8.0U. Fri A.

Sac 6.00 Ihc audience H-s-pupdcd ccstau'uillr. THEY THEY SHRIEKED, THEY 13. Mail-. ONE MO' TIME THE GREAT "NEW ORLEANS MUSICAL. ONE MO' TIME IS A GOOD TIME Group hookinlis 01-S31 3012.

Rinu Tulcdula 11200 for instant ciinfirm cc. bkas 24 ins personal service available. Matinees. Wed 3.Q. 8,30., LONDON PALLADIUM.

4.17 7373. ST MARTIN'S' cc .836 1443. Evas 8.0, Tues 2.45. Sat 5.0 O. WINDMILL 3HEATRE.

43T fJJ 1 2 Twice nightly, Aldrt-Sat .7..0 9.0 Sun 6.0 A 8:0 p.m. Raymond prcscnu ripoff Hotter that ever' lor 1981 THE-EROT1Q EXPERIENCE, OF MODERN ERA Takes to unprecedented -limits what, 5lh GREAT VfJAR. rOIlTUNE THEATRE 01-836 2238. Edinburgh Fcitltul Smash HII BROTHERS KARAMAZOV Richiird Crane's hixlily' acclaimed new play from ihc Dnstoycvsky classic. A Fr shton Theatre Production.

TOTAL TRIUMPH n. Mali. 9 Nov-19 Dec. Previews 7 Nov Bmik by Nov 7 i Save 1 StallsCircle. MICHAEL CRAWFORD in the Broadway Musical BARNUM AsjAltlA MOUSETRAP 2lb YEAR SORRY we never' do reduced "THE BEST SHOW IN TOWN BAR NONE Mirror.

Evas 7.30, Mats Weds A Sats at prices, "WYNDHAMS-S r36 i0J CC379 CAMBRIDGE THEATRE. Ill -S. 10 I48S. Parly bmikilllis 0I-K36 237V. Opening December 1 Kill for the Xmas setison.

JOHN PERTWEE in 1VORZEL GUMMIDGE A new musical based on ihc famous lc.r!:v isicin N'-rics. 2.45. Use the Barntim hntlmcs 01 437 2055. 01-734 8961 lor inslan credit card reservations. PICCADILLY.

437 4506. cc bkis 379 6565. Grp bkas 836 3692379 6061. Prestel Bkas Key 2202324. Mon to Fri 7.30.

Mat Wed 3.0.. Sal 5.30 A a 15. 'Book. 3 weeks ahead and save I 5.90 seats for only 3.90. not FriSat Eves.

ROYAL SHAKESPEARE CO. EDUCATING RITA Comedy of the Year SWET Award 1980. A marvellous play hilarfotis It sent me out moved, cxdtcd and exhilarated Times. A splendid theatre even ins -quite astonishing Time Enjoy nrc-shntv al Cafe Km-al plus stone! stalls circle seat for only 7.90. Tel 437 9090.

RSC also at Aldwych Warehouse. APOI.LO VICTORIA (UPP. Victoria Matiun) SWI. THE SOUND OF MUSIC PETUI.A CLARK A liriac anil muiiil'esl IlliC. lives 7.311.

Mtits Wed Slit 2. 3ti. in olTicc III a.in.-K p.m. In pcrsun prionc pcisl plus SAB. -SPECIAL HOT LINES UI-S2S S6fi5 (J lincsl.

Credit Cards 01-834 Tcicdata Inst.int 24 hr cnnlirmcd Credit Card bnnkirms 01-200 0200. Or.jup Sales 01-379 6061. Group Bookinas 2751. LONDON'S GREATEST VALUE. Prices 12.511.

4.50, 6.50 7.50. liars open Ihr prior to Perl. TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE. Mim, Tiics al 7.3(1. Weil 2.30 7..10 BOOKING THROUGH CHRISTMAS AND UP TO AND INCL 15 MAY 1982.

LYRIC cc 437 36R6. Grp Bkas 379 6061. Eves 8.0 Mat Wed 3.0, Sal Mat 5.15. GARRICK. cc S36 4601.

MARTIN JAR VIS. JUDY GEESON and PETER J3LYTHE. An excellent cast D. Tel. in hiEhly entertaining modern Thick Vvitn iauatu N.o.W.

CAUGHT IN THE ACT Fun for the audience D. Esp. Eta at 8.0. Wed 3.0. Sat 5.0 8.0.

Group Sales (11-371) 60(51. STRAND, cc 26604143. 8.0. Mats Thur 3.0, Sats at 5.0;& HYSTERICAL YEAR OF THE LONGEST RUNNING COMEDY. IN THE WORLD 1 NO SEX PLEASE WE'RE BRITISH 2 HRS NON-STOP LAUGHTER 1 Directed by Allan Davis Group Sales Bn Office 01-379 6061.

6565. -Orn 836 3962. COLIN -'ROSEMARY BLAKELY i-'i V- HARRIS in ARTHUR "MITXER'S -ABD-MY SONS' Dircotrdrby MICHAEL BLAKEMORE An uncommonly fine Play Harold Times. Mon-Fri (Wed -Nbv -i4 Sat 4.30 RICHARD PETER BRIERS EG AN CRITERION 930 3216 cc 370 (1-565. Grp rcdiictinns 836 3962 Mon-Thurs 7.30 Fri A Sal 6.00 A 8.45.

DARIO FO'S FARCE CAN'T PAY WON'T I By the author or Anarchist MAKiiS YOU GLAD TO BT. ALIVE D. Tel. wn nmrrrrn cVS.O. wetlmat.

z.tiu trom. fHO-v u. AI.DWYCH. 836 cc 3TI 6233 Sats 10-4). Info S.H, 5JJ2 HOVAL SHAKLSl'KARE COMPANY RICHARD II Previews from 5 Nov.

'Secure. Jtlitlcrms, imauistic ant) even rjUBcani-JiJte a (irst-ralt- prtiiiuc--lion Gdn. Jlciokina also open lor THE MERCHANT OF VENICE (frum 12 Nnv) RICHARD 111 (from 19 Nov). Prcsic 221123. Group Sales 379 6061.

RSC also at Ihc Warehouse Piccadilly. AMBASSADORS. 01-836 171 1 cc. THERE'S A DEVIL IN EACH OF US. HARVEST A new play by Ellen Drydcn "EXOHLSITE" DaiJy Tclcarapli.

THK END IS A IcICIIhH SUNNIER. PLACE WITH THE ADVENT OV THIS NEW VOICE P.LI.EN IS AIDED IIY TlIE SHIMNf; TALENT OK LYNN I Afil I IGH Unily Mail. Eves Mon-Sat 8.0. Mills Tires 3.0. Sat S.t).

FINAL WEEK. APOLLO. Shafltshiiry Ave. l-c 4.17 2663. Evas 8, Weds 3.

Sat 5.15. S.I5. HANNAH GORDON GILMORI in THE KILLING. GAME 'I'crrse firitjpinii llirilier N.n.W, Terrilic IIBC. after surprise hs.

MaximLm len-siaa Exo. A triumph Stasc. vnvuurz. Vir? 978 6363. STUDIO '68.

229 7382. Opens Nov 9. 7.30 D.m. Essex. Half, WSi, The famous "Actors Eves 7.3ft 8 pecjV'only seats 2.30 -ROSBNeRANTZ -V-GUILDENSTERN ARE.

DEAD lov t2. 13,: 14, laa'l4 perfj Richard Pearson, Vat Heytvood Alice Krlse In BERNARD SHAW'S BUBBLING COMEDV Sid. ARMS AND THE MAN AMONG THE GREAT DELIGHTS Ol- THE ENGLISH SPEAKING THEATRE Sid. SPARKLING NF.W PRODUCTION D. Tel.

"THE MOST CIVILISED COMEDY TO BE SEEN IN LONDON S. Tel. K.it)tiy prc-sh'nw supper al Hie Cafe Royal plus ticket far only S.9S incls. Tel. 01-437 9090.

S. KAUFMAN A EDNA FERBER. GALES OF LAUGHTl-'R irncs. jtlng IIII.AKII9US lll-AUK MAD PANTOMIME. VI-ltY GLOBE.

cc 7 1502, 439 6770 Evu 7.30. Mats Wed 2.30. Sats 4.011. THE MITFORD GIRLS A new mnsicai by Brahms, Sherrin Grccnwcll "ITS LARGER THAN LIFE AND TWICE AS FUNNY 1 Eip. ON ITS OWN TERMS IT CANNOT UK FAULTF.D Times.

A MARVELLOUS PARTY I COULDN'T HAVE ENJOYED IT MORE Mail. Groun Sales 01-379 6061. THEATRE ROYAL. Stratford E15. 534 (13111 From Nov 11 at 8.0.

THICK AS THIEVES i-DNNV l. lis. QUF.KNS. cc 01-734 11615. bvcniiiJK 8.0.

Matinee Wed 3.0, 5. IS 8.30. EDWARD FOX ROBIN BAILEY. JAMES GROUT and PRUNELLA SCALES in QLARTERM AINE'S TERMS A nets' piny by SIMON GRAY. Directed by HAROLD PINTER.

CERTAINLY THI-: BEST PLAY IN THE WEST END" Observer. THE MOST ENJOYABLE AND INTRIGUING NEW PLAY THIS YEAR A LYRICALLY inUNNY PLAY" Times. by limy Miccnam COMEDY THEATRE. cc 9.10 2S7K. Cirp bkes 37 6061.

Mtin-Itiurs K.O. Frl Sat K.15. Milts Thurs i Sat 5.15. Prices 2.50-L6.50 (Nut suiiiiblc lor chilttrcn) STEAMING bv NELL DUNN HALE--" A comic nr lc force SW. 0r-wlielmi'nx and pcifiirmanees Odn.

l-'unnv and muc hiti-rt D. Ein. SEXV L1KE-AI 11K.M1NG SHOW limes, r-ninv pic-show simper pl us an.id stalls circle ical, only W.JO. Tel 1J30 18W. TALK TOWN.

0U734 S0511 For-reservations or on "etitry. LonJon's greatest- night out from 8 p.tti. 5 "HOURS; OF ENTERTAINMENT 9.30 THE TALK OF THE TtfvVN GALA GAtAXY: REVUE 1XJ MpiRAQUAT Ditmet, DWcfiia, Bandit DUCHESS. cc SJfi S243. Evas S.

Wrd 3, Sm 5.311 Vrancis Matthews, George Scwcll and l.yneiLc Dnvies in BE.S I I I. ft FOK YEARS THE I5USINESS OF, MURDER "AN UNAIiASIIED WINNER" UPSTREAM. 928 5394. CHERJJB Season opens 2 Nov. New play A JOURNAL OF THE PLAGUE YEAR 1981 Edinbiirslr Trlumpn MACBETH haunting power unforsettablt--ScoLsmsn.

All seats 2.341 LYRIC HAMMERSMITH cc 111-741 2311. DEREK GRIFFITHS' CHILDREN'S SHOW. 2-5 Nov nl 2pm. All scl 1.00. I.YRIC 111 Sat Eves 8pm C.V.

One presents HON HUTCHINSON'S new piay INTO EUROPE. GREENWICH cc 01:858 7755. Prcviciv Wed 7.45. Opens Thurs 7.0 51 cvss 7.45, Mat Sals 2i30. ANOTHER COUNTRY by Julian Mitchell.

ROYAL COURT THEATRE UPSTAIRS -n Evbj 7.30. THE CATCH by Nick Darke. Exp. SENSATIONAL Times..