The Daily Telegraph from London, Greater London, England • 18

18 WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 1997 THE DAILY TELEGRAPH As the embattled Royal Opera House prepares for a long closure, Rupert Christiansen quizzes its new chief Covent Garden: the big que questions ns A -Opera nessed stration FEW pervading a House. weeks of telling the the I ago I demon- arrived Royal mood witone evening to deliver a letter, only to confront a drunk torrentially relieving himself against the stage door. Having steered my way past the downpour, I went inside, where a commissionaire sat with his feet up reading a newspaper. In my best Lady Bracknellish tones, I informed him of this minor unpleasantness. "Doesn't bother Cerberus muttered, barely stirring from contemplation of page three.

"Just about what this place deserves anyway." Expletives deleted. Not an altogether surprising attitude, sadly, when 25 per cent of the workforce is being made redundant in readiness for midJuly, when the House closes for an estimated two-and-a-half years of redevelopment. Somehow the Royal Opera and Ballet have managed to turn out some superb performances in spite of this cynicism, but. behind the scenes the atmosphere is talk in terms of betrayal, disinformation, sell-out, their gossip permeates an inhouse samizdat newspaper entitled Soap Opera, authorship unknown, which charts the nisation's latest gaffes and outrages. There's a leadership problem.

Enter Genista McIntosh, the Royal Opera House's chief executive since January. Previously she had spent six happy years as executive director of the National Theatre, succesfully collaborating with artistic director Richard Eyre and chairman Mary Soames, and sources report her as being pretty shell-shocked by the contrast the two organisations. But she's a loyal and tactful person, lacking in her predecessor Jeremy Isaacs's bullish flamboyance, and not one to blab or panic. Senior management are encouraged by her heads-down, common approach; the rest workforce remain suspi- I OPERA AND BALLET COLISEUM 0171 632 8300 (24HR) ENGLISH NATIONAL OPERA Ton't 7.30 MADAM BUTTERFLY Tomor 7.30 (FIRST NIGHT) LA TRAVIATA 0991 992 017 ROYAL OPERA HOUSE 0171 304 4000 for Box Office Standby info Tickets available on the day The Royal Opera Fri (Last Night) 7.30 L'ELISIR D'AMORE Tue 7.30 (First Night) ELEKTRA The Royal Ballet Ton't, Tomor, Mon (Last Night) 7.30 ANASTASIA Sat 2.00 7.00 MacMillan's THE JUDAS SYMPHONY IN 0991 992 035 CONCERTS ROYAL ALBERT HALL 0171 589 8212 Thursday, 22nd May at 8.00 pm CATHCART PROMS Great British Classical Music presented by Richard Baker The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra The Band of the Grenadier Guards Tekts £10.00 £35.00 from Box Office. Ca THEATRES SEAT AVAILABILITY FOR SEAT AvAilability of today's PERFORMANCES AT All THE THEATRES listed iN THiS SECTION jUST dial 0660 616 041 from the handset of your fax machine Calls cost 49p per min Service provided by Telecom Express Lid, Westminster Tower, London SE1 7 SP, ADELPHI Legendary Entertainer JERRY LEWIS DAMN YANKEES helluva with heart! Red.

price prevs from 29 May. Opens 4 June 0171 413 1777 (24hrs low bkg fee) Grps 0800 614903, 0171 930 3000 (no fee) 0991 992 001 ALBERY BO cc 369 1730 cc 344 4444 (No fees) Grps. 413 3321, 312 5069 GARY WILMOT ANN CRUMB in THE GOODBYE GIRL New Musical of the best nights London" O.K.Mag Book by Neil Simon. Music by Marvin Hamlisch Lyrics by Don Black Evgs Mon-Fri 8pm. Wed Mat 3pm.

Sats 5 8.30pm 0991 992 002 cious, and the current threat of industrial action by the backstage union BECTU will be the first real test of her mettle in job. Last month, after much delay and alteration, plans for the temporary housing of the Royal Opera and Royal Ballet were announced to a mixed reception from the press and other interested parties. It's an opportune moment to McIntosh some basic questions. Why did you keep delaying announcement of the closure plans? Primarily because of the need to clarify nitty-gritty contractual issues with one or two venues. It wasn't a matter of substantial programme alterations, as has been suggested.

We wanted to be sure, for instance, that we could announce a season in the rebuilt Sadler's Wells for 1998-9. We all look forward to the exciting programme promised for the Royal Opera during the first phase of closure, but I share the widespread dismay at the dreary plans for the Royal Ballet no new productions until March, an autumn season at a downbeat venue with seats scarcely cheaper than they are at the Royal Opera House, star dancers defecting. Labatt's Apollo in Hammersmith was not our first choice, but I don't think it's a terrible venue. We hope to attract different kinds of there, but it's' our base four weeks. I'm not audience, going to apologise for it.

It remains a dismally uninteresting programme compared with Royal Opera's. You're putting a negative slant on it. I really love ballet; I don't see it as the Opera House's secondary activity. But our priority had to be finding a way to keep the company going at full strength throughout the closure. It seems that Royal Ballet gets the raw end of the Opera House deal.

It is chronically short of dancers and rehearsal time with a resulting high injury rate. What plans do you have to remedy this? ALDWYCH 0171 416. 000 (24 bkg fee) Groups 416 6075 Eves 7.30, Wed Sat mats pm "THE BEST ORIGINAL PLAY IN BRILLIANT" Herald Tribune MICHAEL ALEC GAMBON McCOWEN "TOWERING PERFORMANCES" The TOM CLEM a new play by STEPHEN CHURCHETT Directed by RICHARD WILSON Tel "WONDERFULLY COMIC" The Spectator 0991 992 003 APOLLO 24hr cc 0171 494 5070 cc 0171 344 4444 (bkg fee) Grps 0171 494 5454 BEN ELTON'S POPCORN 'Fast, funny and down right sexy' E.Std bloody good night out' F.T. Mon Sat 8.00 pm Mat Wed 3.00 pm.Sat 4.00pm. 0991 992 005 APOLLO VICTORIA cc 0171.

416 6045 cc 24. hrs 0171 344 420 0000 Groups 0171 416 413 3321 Andrew Lloyd Webber's STARLIGHT EXPRESS THE FASTEST SHOW ON EARTH White knuckle runs 19.45 daily Tue Sat 3pm Tickets from £12.50 0991 992 007 CAMBRIDGE 0171 494 6060 344 0000 fee) Grps 494 5454 416 5588 GREASE Starring SHANE RICHIE Monster Hit" D. Mirror Mon Sat 7.30pm, Wed Sat Mat 3pm GREASE NOW BKG INTO 1998! 0991 992 009 CHICHESTER FESTIVAL THEATRE 01243 781312 7, 8 May IAN McSHANE MICHAEL DENISON BARBARA JEFFORD THE ADMIRABLE CRICHTON by J.M. Barrie directed by Michael Rudman 9, 10, 11 May STEPHANIE BEACHAM JOHN McCALLUM DAVID RINTOUL GOOGIE WITHERS LADY WINDERMERE'S FAN by Oscar Wilde directed by Richard Cottrell COMEDY 369 1731, 344 0000 (24hrs) Eves 8, Mats Wed a 4.30 THE PETER HALL COMPANY PETER BOWLES CARMEN HENRY SILVERA McGEE ERIC SYKES in Moliere's hilarious comedy THE SCHOOL FOR WIVES "POSITIVELY IS AS GOOD AS IT GETS" Daily Mail 0991 992 010 CRITERION 0171 369 4444 BEST COMEDY Lawrence Olivier Award Nominee THE REDUCED SHAKESPEARE COMPANY in THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (abridged) All 37 Plays in 97 Minutes! "Refreshing and Hilarious" Telegraph Mats Thur at 3 Sat at 5, Sun at 4, Eves at 8pm THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF AMERICA (abridged) Tuesday at 8pm London's Longest Running Comedy Hit 0991 992 006 Picture: CHARLES HOPKINSON plan to provide optimism' What does this change signify? Chief executive is what the board offered me. I surmise that it's an attempt to indicate that the Royal Opera House will be run more as other businesses are run.

General director is a post unique to an opera house. Does it not also signify that you carry less influence on artistic policy? have never seen the business of managing as separate from artispolicy if the two aren't inte- In the short term, what can you do to restore morale? grated, neither can be effective. But I have a wonderful head of the Royal Ballet in Anthony Dowell and of the Royal Opera Nicholas Payne, and I've never believed in keeping dogs barking myself. I can't switch on a point plan to provide optimism. All do five is remove uncertainty and establish stability, and that's why I have spent my first three months here ensuring that plans for closure were firmly in place.

Until now, everyone's been preoccupied with endings; I think we've reached the point when people can start to talk about I beginnings. What is the core of the dispute with BECTU? We are asking BECTU to accept a new contract based on the notion of an annualised income, which removes additional payments for touring away from base. These allowances have been in place for a long time and people are understandably reluctant to surrender them, but what we offer in return is compensation in terms of time off. The fact of the matter is that we are operating under the pressure of a multi-million-pound deficit and there's no more money available. There may be balloting for industrial action, which I regret.

But I continue to hope that the situation can be resolved. What was your overall view of the Opera House's organisation when you arrived here? It's a much more complex organisation than the National Theatre, not least because opera and ballet are two different types of activity with distinct ways of working. Historically, it has been put together in bits, rather than springing into coherent life like the NT. This means that aspects of its constitution are cumbersome the structure of the various boards, for example, which means that a number of perspectives must be taken into account. Under my administration, a new executive board has been appointed to pull all areas of the management together there hasn't been anything like this before.

You've often been described as a How would you characterise your management style? I try not be autocratic. I aim to be collaborative and collegial. When has that ever worked i in an opera house? What about the partnership between Peter Jonas, Mark Elder and David Pountney at English National Opera in the 1980s? But and collegial" is the way I am and, although one has to adapt to an organisation, I can't do otherwise. Are you enjoying this job? It's enormously exciting, but sometimes it's hard to keep up. I have so much to learn, but meanwhile there are decisions which can't wait.

Learning and deciding at the same time that's very challenging. OLD VIC 0171 928 7616 24hrs: 420 0000 (no bkg fee) THE PETER HALL COMPANY 7 days a week WASTE by Harley Granville Barker. Sun at 8pm. May 13 16 at 7.30pm, May 15 mat 2.30pm, May 21 22 at 7.30pm May 24 mat 2.30pm, May 28 at 7.30pm gripping production gets Hall's first season off to a blazing start" S. Times CLOUD NINE by Caryl Churchill Last 6 perfs Sat mat 3pm May 17, 20, 24; 27 June 4 at 7.30pm "Disgracefully funny" D.Mail THE SEAGULL by Anton Chekhov English, version by Tom Stoppard 7.30pm, Tomor at 2.30pm 7.30pm, Fri Sat at 7.30pm, Sun mat 3pm, May 14 15 at 7.30pm, May 17 22 mat 2.30pm, May 23 at 7.30pm, May 25 mat 3pm PRAYERS OF SHERKIN by Sebastian Barry May 18 at 8pm, May 19 7.30pm 25 at 8pm, May 26 at 7.30pm Tickets £10 £19.

0991 992 023 PALACE THEATRE BO 0171 434 0909 cc 24hrs (bkg fee) 0171 344 4444 (bkg fee) Grps 0171 413 3311. THE WORLD'S MOST POPULAR MUSICAL LES MISERABLES NOW IN ITS 12th Eves 7.30 Mats Thu Sat 2.30. RECORD-BREAKING 3 YEAR Latecomers not admitted until the interval LIMITED NUMBER OF SEATS AVAIL DAILY FROM BOX OFFICE. 0991 992 024 PHOENIX, 0171 369 436 5588 344 BEST MUSICAL' Awards Plays and Novello Awards WILLY RUSSELL'S BLOOD BROTHERS the audience to its feet, and roaring its approval" D. Mail.

TRIUMPHANT YEAR Eves 7.45, Mats Thur 3.00, Sat 4.00. NOW BOOKING UNTIL JAN '98 0991 992 026 PICCADILLY THEATRE 0171 369 0171 344 4444 Jenny Eclair in NELL DUNN'S STEAMING Eves 8pm, Weds 2.30pm, Sat 5pm 8.30pm NOW PREVIEWING 0991 992 027 PRINCE EDWARD 0171. 447 5400 First Call 420 0100 cc 344 4444 Grps 420. 0200 WINNER BEST CHOREOGRAPHER BEST NEW MUSICAL LAURENCE OLIVIER AWARDS "A BIG MAGNIFICENT EPIC MUSICAL, A GREAT EVENING OUT" S. TIMES MARTIN GUERRE BOUBLIL SCHONBERG'S 'MUSICAL MASTERPIECE' IntHer Trib.

Mon-Sat 7.45, Mats Thur Sat 3.00 NOW BOOKING JAN 1998 0991 992. 028 PRINCE OF WALES 0171 839 5987 First Call 420 0000 cc 344. 4444 Grps 420 0200 freephone 0800 614 903 "HOT FROM BROADWAY, AND I BANDS ELECTRIFY SMOKIN'. A ENOUGH CITY" D.Mail. ENERGY GRAMMY AWARD WINNING MUSICAL SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE THE SONGS OF LEIBER STOLLER Directed by Jerry Zaks "AMERICAN GRAFFITI MEETS WEST SIDE STORY" E.Std.

Mon-Sat 8pm; Thu Sat Mats 3pm REDUCED PRICE THURS MATINEE NOW BOOKING TO JAN 1998 0991 992 029 REVIEW Sorrows of a single life Theatre Rosita the Spinster Almeida, N1 THIS IS Lorca's little-known tragedy of a young Spanish lady holding out for her who never comes back. Idealising her memories, Rosita is trapped in the past in turn-of-the-century Granada (the playwright's home town). She cloisters herself in the walled garden of her aunt's villa, and her lusty spirit withers like her uncle's precious red rose, which, symbolically, blossoms but pales to frosty white in one day. This play gets an airing about as often as its heroine, unlike Lorca's more powerful peasant tragedies Blood Wedding, Yerma and The House of Bernarda Alba, which were also written in the mid-1930s and portray frustrated and mewed women. Brought to attention by director Phyllida Lloyd, Rosita did in flashes strike me as worth reviving.

There is strong strain of bleakness in Lorca's portrait of obsessive devotion and prolonged grief, a way of life Rosita (Phoebe Nicholls) shares with her aunt (Eleanor Bron), who mourns long after she is widowed. Though Lorca inclines heavily towards lamenting the wintriness of single life, he provides hints that other ladies might be enjoying the freedom and perceptive glimpses into the nature of lengthy partnerships. Before his death, Rosita's uncle (Clive Swift, obsessively tending his flowers) drily observes that marital arguments are desperate attempts to inject life into wilted relationships. Celia Imrie's irascible, mouthy housekeeper is also highly entertaining. Then Lorca's radically stylistic shifts thereird into full-blown lyricism.

Peter Oswald's translation is fine work, but this piece as a whole is theatrically awkward. Lloyd's ladies might be amusingly surreal launching into a songand-dance number in the midst of a stiff social gathering, but as half the cast (not least Nicholls) have feeble voices it is excruciating. Designer Anthony Ward's dilapidated plant house is serene, with potted roses and petunias stacked up the high brick walls. It is also quietly atmospheric with the tinkling of the fountain and chirping of cicadas (sound by John A Leonard) and the light (by Paul Pyant) shifting from hot noon sun to weaker shafts and finally encroaching darkness. But Lorca's domestic scene is tinged with sentimentality and the cast lack real fire.

Tickets: 0171 359 4404 KATE BASSETT Chief executive Genista McIntosh: 'I can't switch on a five-point That's a when-did-vou-stop-beat- They have been properly supporting-your-wife question. I am con- ive, but they are rigorous about cerned that resources be allo- ensuring that we fulfil stated concated fairly, but we have to be ditions quite rightly. At the realistic in the context of limited moment, we have to lobby hard to funding. ensure that we can remain in a stable condition. Remember that Lord Gowrie, chairman of the the Arts Council is not running Arts Council, had a public the Royal Opera House.

It monioutburst recently about the tors and advises, but it can't take "shambles" of the closure plans. direct responsibility. How are your relations with the Arts Council? Your predecessor, Jeremy Isaacs, I Personally, I have good and pro- was known as general director; ductive relations with them. you have the title chief executive. tic Entertainments DOMINION Ticketlines 0171 656 1886 0990 0000 (bkg fee).

Grps 0171 416 614 903 The Magic comes alive on stage DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST A NEW MUSICAL "THE MOST LAVISH, OPULENT, EYE-POPPING SHOW New York Newsday Now Previewing: Opens 13 may Mon-Sat 7.30, Sat mat 2.30 2 0991 992 011 DRURY LANE THEATRE ROYAL SS (bkg fee) 24hr 7. days 0171 494 344 420 0000 Groups 0171 494 8000 MISS SAIGON "THE CLASSIC LOVE STORY OF OUR TIME" NOW IN ITS 8TH EXTRAORDINARY YEAR! Eves 7.45 Mats Wed Sat at 3pm. Good seats available for Wed Mat some perfs apply B.O. BOOKINGS PERSONAL CALLERS (0171 494 5060) (bkg fee). 0991 992 041 DUCHESS 0171 494 5075 (no bkg fee) cc 344 0000 (with bkg fee) Royal Shakespeare Company THE HERBAL BED "Peter Whelan's wonderful love story, a moral thriller and a courtroom AND AWAY THE BEST THING IN THE WEST END" S.

Times Mon-Sat 7.30 Mats Wed Sat 3.00 UNTIL 5 JULY 0991 992 012 FORTUNE BO CC 0171-836 312 5388 EWAN HOOPER SIMMONS Susan Hill's THE WOMAN IN BLACK Adapted by Stephen Mallatratt "The most thrilling chilling play for years" D.Mail NOW IN ITS 8TH YEAR Mon-Sat 8pm Mats Tues 3pm Sat 4pm Running Time 2hrs 0991 992 014 GARRICK 0171 494 5388 (no bkg fee) Groups 0171 494 5454 WINNER OF 19 MAJOR AWARDS The Royal National Theatre Production PIP SUZANNE DONAGHY BERTISH BARRY STANTON Priestley's AN INSPECTOR CALLS BE SEEN" D.Mail "TWO HOURS OF ENTHRALLING, VISUALLY STUNNING DRAMA" D. Tel Mon-Fri 7.45, Sat 5.00 8.15, Wed mat 2.30 0991 992 015 HAYMARKET 930 8800. 344 0000 bkg fee) Eves 8 Mats Thur 3 Sat 5 Royal Exchange Theatre Company OSCAR WILDE'S CLASSIC COMEDY LADY WINDERMERE'S FAN "IRRESISTIBLY GLAMOROUS" S.Tms "DON'T MISS IT" Obs 0991 992 042 HER MAJESTY'S 24hr 494 5400 (bkg fee) CC .0171 344 0000 (bkg fee) Grps 0171 494 5588. ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER'S AWARD WINNING MUSICAL THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Directed by HAROLD PRINCE NOW BOOKING TO DEC 97 Eves 7.45, Mats Wed Sat 3.00 Apply to Box Office Daily for Returns 0991 992 020 LABATT'S 416 6050 420 (fee) 416 5588 (grps fee) CLIFF RICHARD in HEATHCLIFF 'Spectacular, stunning' D.Mail Mon Sat 8pm LAST EVER U.K. PERF 17 MAY! 0991 992 070 LONDON PALLADIUM 0171 494 4444 (£1 tkt serv 420 0000 Grps 0171 494 8000 LAST WEEK TO SEE ROBERT LINDSAY BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL Laurence Olivier Awards "ROBERT LINDSAY'S FAGIN IS FULL OF CHARM, WARMTH GLEEFUL CRIMINALITY, HE'S A HOOT" D.Exp BARRY HUMPHRIES RETURNS THE ROLE OF FAGIN FROM 12 MAY OLIVER! 3RD IRREPRESSIBLE YEAR BART'S MASTERPIECE.

YOU CAN'T ASK FOR MORE" S. Times Eves 7.30, Mats. Wed Sat 2.30 SOME GOOD SEATS AVAIL NOW FOR WEEKDAY PERFS 0991 992 018 LYCEUM cc 0171 656 500 800 420 4444 (bkg fee) Grps 416 6076 TIM RICE ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER'S JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR "Sends shivers racing down the spine" D. Telegraph Eves 7.45, Mats Wed Sat 3 (no bkg fee for personal callers at the Lyceum box office 10am 8pm.) £15 tickets for students avail Mon-Thu are bookable in advance Now booking to September Some seats avail at door Mon-Thu 0991 992 091 LYRIC Shaftesbury Ave 0171 494 5054 (cc bkg fee) 0171 344 4444(bkg fee) Eves 7.45, Wed Sat mats 3pm SIAN PHILLIPS is "simply brilliant" as PAM GEMS' MARLENE directed by SEAN MATHIAS 0991 992 019 LYRIC 1 THEATRE HAMMERSMITH 0181 741 2311 CHEEK BY JOWL OUT CRY by Tennessee Williams Times Eves 7.30, Sat mat 2.30 Ltd Season Must End 17 May 0991 992 019 NATIONAL THEATRE, 0171 928 2252: Grps 0171 cc bkg 0171 420 00. 0000.

0000. 0000. 0000. 00 0000. 0000.

Please allow extra time because of major roadworks OLIVIER Tomor 7.15, (PREVIEW) peter Weiss. English version by Geoffrey Skelton, verse adaptation by Adrian Mitchell. LYTTELTON Tomor 2.15 7.30 THE HOMECOMING Harold Pinter. COTTESLOE Ton't 7.30 Special Platform Performance WORDS OF MADNESS. Tomor 7.00 KING LEAR William Shakespeare.

0991 992 034 (Olivier) 0991 992 033 (Lyttelton) NEW LONDON Drury Lane WC2 BO 0171 405 0072 0171 404 4079 24hr 0171 344 420 0000. Groups 0171 413 5588 THE ANDREW LLOYD T.S. ELIOT INTERNATIONAL WINNING MUSICAL CATS Eves 7.45 Mats Tue Sat 3.00. LATECOMERS NOT ADMITTED WHILE AUDITORIUM IS IN MOTION. PLEASE BE PROMPT.

Bars open at 6.45. LIMITED NUMBER OF SEATS AVAIL DAILY FROM BOX OFFICE 0991 992 022 Take the drama out of theatre booking Telegraph BOX OFFICE your West End Theatre specialist Advice from experienced and knowledgeable staff Open 8am to 8pm. 7 days a week Competitive booking fee and no additional charges All Major credit debit cards and cheques accepted call us now on 0541 55 70 00 NationalCall max 10p per min QUEENS Bo cc 0171 494 5040 cc 344 4444 5454 PATTI MASTER CLASS by TERRENCE McNALLY Tue-Sat 8pm. Wed Sat Mat 3pm 0991 992 030 ROYAL COURT 0171 565 5000 cc: 420 0100 (24hrs) Downstairs (Duke of York's, St Martin's Lane) EAST IS EAST by Ayub Khan-Din Eve 7.30pm, Sat mat 3.30pm. Upstairs (Ambassadors, West St) BAILEGANGAIRE by Tom Murphy, Mon-Sat 7.15, Sat Mat 3.00.

0991 992 031 ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY LONDON (0171 494 5075) DUCHESS THEATRE THE HERBAL BED Today 3.00 7.30 STRATFORD (01789 295623) RSC STOPOVER for details 01789 414999 RST: HAMLET Ton't 7.30. SWAN: SPANISH TRAGEDY Ton't 7.00. TOP: EVERYMAN Ton't 7.30. 0991 992 012 SAVOY 0171 836 cc 420 0000 (no fee) Grps 420 0200 "OSCAR NOMINATED" Ind SIMON CALLOW "is exemplary: lively, absorbing" unsentimental, Times lucid, THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING OSCAR The Wit, Triumph Tragedy of Oscar Wilde by Micheal mac Liammoir "scrupulous, intelligent, compassionate OF THE MOST ENJOYABLE SERIOUS ENTERTAINMENTS IN LONDON" Sunday Times "witty, beautiful, compelling stuff" FT Eves 8pm Mats Wed Sat 3pm LAST 2 WKS OF EXTENDED SEASON TO 17 MAY ST. MARTINS 0171 836 1443 (no bkg fee) 0171 420 4444 (bkg fee) Eves 8 Tues 2.45 Sat 5 8.

45th YEAR OF AGATHA CHRISTIE'S THE MOUSETRAP 0991 992 039 STRAND Box Off cc (No fee) 0171 930 8800 cc (Bkg fee) 0171 344 0000 Groups 0171 413 436 5588 BUDDY The Buddy Holly Story "BRILLIANT" Sun BUDDY "WONDERFUL STUFF" Sun. Tel BUDDY Mon Thur 8.0, Fri 5.30 8.30 Sats 5.00 8.30 ALL SEATS PRICE FRI 5.30 PERF 8th ELECTRIFYING YEAR Now booking 'till October 4 0991 992 040 VICTORIA PALACE 0171. 834 1317 The Ultimate Love Story ALWAYS MUSICAL Performances From 20 May at 7.30pm Wed-Sat mats 3pm 0991 992 044 WYNDHAMS 369. 4444 BEST COMEDY Eve Standard Awards BEST COMEDY Laurence Olivier Awards "ART" A new play by Yasmina Reza Trans. by Christopher Hampton "Fly, swim or skate just to see it" New York Times.

Eves 8, Mats Wed 3 0991 992 049 CINEMAS CURZON MAYFAIR Curzon St. 0171 369 1720 A SELF MADE HERO (15) Progs at 1.15 (not Sun), 3.30, 6.00, 8.30. LAST WEEK From Fri KOLYA (12). CURZON PHOENIX Phoenix St, off Charing Cross Rd 0171 369 1721. COLD COMFORT FARM (PG).

Progs at 2.15 (not Sun), 4.15, 6.15, 8.15. CURZON WEST END Shaftesbury Ave W1 0171 369 1722. THE FUNERAL (18) Progs at 1.50 (not Sun), 4.00, 6.15, 8.30 FOR A SEATING PLAN BY FAX Dial the number shown next to the fax symbol of your chosen theatre, where possible use the handset of your fax machine, the keypad using on-hook dialing or polling mode, (24 hours a day). Calls to 0991 numbers cost Average call duration 2.5 minutes. SEATING PLAN BY POST Please phone our "Live Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.30pm on 0991 992 090 Helpline 0171 412 3795 TELECOM EXPRESS, WESTMINSTER TOWER, LONDON SE1 7SP This is a service provided by The Daily Telegraph.

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