Shows diary

Blow Up Does Dallas. Pamela Ewing slept for a year. She had a bad dream in which her husband was killed and her mother-in-law replaced by an impostor. What does it mean? Part of the Wandsworth Arts Festival, closes tomorrow, 7.30pm. £5-£7.

The Gruffalo. Children's story about Mouse, who can scare other animals away, but what happens he comes face to face with a creature he imagined? Part Of Wandsworth Arts Festival, Saturday, 2.30pm. £3.50-£5.75

Intervals In Light. Mixed media event by theatre group L'Orange create an evening of interlinked performances, exploring the avant-garde. Part of Wandsworth Arts Festival, Saturday, 8.30pm. £5-£8.

Far From Home. The story moves between a police interrogation in Zagreb and a tense reunion in London and looks at the people caught up in the Yugoslavian conflict. Part of Wandsworth Arts Festival, Sunday, 8.30pm. £2-£3.

Standing Out. A group of actors with learning disabilities are invited to take part in theatrical event. The piece highlights issues faced by people with special needs when they wish to stand out. Part of Wandsworth Arts Festival, Tuesday 7pm, mat Sat, 2pm. £4-£6.

Nothing To Declare. As fragments of a Red Cross lorry are scattered across a deserted highway, a would-be interior designer agonises over the perfect colour scheme to transform the wreckage into her ideal mobile home. A work in progress which promises something out of the ordinary. Opens Sunday, 8pm. £3.50-£4.75.

Charles Cryer Studio Theatre Carshalton. 020 8770 4950

Trivial Pursuits. Comedy drama about the backstage squabbles of an operatic society. As they gather to discuss their first show of the season they discover their production manager has already promised a completely different production and plum roles for different people. Closes tomorrow, 7.45pm, mat Sat 3pm. £5-£6.

Compass Theatre and Arts Centre, Glebe Avenue, Twickenham, Middlesex. 01895 673200.

Season's Greetings. Alan Ayckbourn's wry look at a family Christmas where absolutely nothing goes according to plan. Closes tomorrow, 7.45pm. £7-£8.50.

Epsom Playhouse,

Ashley Avenue, Epsom,

01372 742555/742227.

Swing Is In The Air. Singer Rosemary Squires pays tribute to acts including Peggy Lee, Doris Day, Mel Torme and Frank Sinatra. Wednesday, 8pm. £10-£12.50.

Dryburgh Hall, Putney Leisure Centre, Upper Richmond Road, 020 8871 8711.

Variety Matinee Show. An afternoon of laughter, song and good old fashioned entertainment, part of Wandsworth Arts Festival, 2pm, £2.50-£3.

The Fairfield Croydon, Barclay Road, Croydon.

020 8688 9291

Twelfth Night. Shakespeare 4 Kidz present a child friendly version of one of the bard's funniest works, with great characters including Sir Toby Belch, Feste the fool and Malvolio. Today only, 11am, 1pm. £6.

Number One Male Revue. An explosion of muscle and music as Britain's hottest male strippers take to the stage in this all singing all dancing show. Monday. £11.50-£12.50.

An Audience With Mr Nice. The world's most notorious drug smuggler, Howard Marks, recounts dangerous and revealing tales from his life of crime, including deals with the CIA, MI6 and the Italian Mafia. Tuesday, 7.45pm. £10.50-£11.50.

Hampton Hill Playhouse, 90 Hill High Street, Hampton Hill, 020 8979 9499.

The Cherry Orchard. Never ones to back away from challenging drama, Teddington Theatre Club stage their adaptation of Chekov's masterpiece in which the Gaev family face ruin if they refuse to sell their beloved cherry orchard. Opens tomorrow, 7.45pm, Sun 6pm. £5-£8.

New Victoria Theatre,

The Peacock Centre,

Woking.

01483 761144

Oh What A Night! If wall-to-wall 70s music is your idea of a good night out, this is the show for you. The story is about a bunch of young disco dancers all trying to get into movies and save their favourite club. Closes tomorrow, 8pm, Fri & Sat 5.30pm & 8.45pm. £9-£26.50.

Spend, Spend, Spend! The musical which took the West End by storm, beating off Mamma Mia and The Lion King for Best Musical Award, comes to Woking. The true story of Viv Nicholson, who won a fortune on the pools and spent the lot. Opens Tuesday, 8pm, mat Weds/Sat 2.30pm. £9.50-£26.50

Open Door Community Centre, Beaumont Road, SW19. 020 7231 6083.

A Christmas Carol. The South West Youth Theatre present the classic Dickens story about the transformation of Ebenezer Scrooge, tomorrow, 3pm, 7pm. £2-£4.50. Part of Wandsworth Arts Festival.

Orange Tree Theatre

Clarence Street,

Richmond.

020 8940 3633

The Caucasian Chalk Circle. Brecht's masterpiece about Grusha and her flight to the mountains with a child she has rescued from a war zone. But when the war ends who does the child belong to Grusha, who saved and nurtured him or the woman who gave birth to him? Making the decision is the judge Asdak, for whom the word eccentric was coined. 7.45pm, mats Sat 4pm, Thu 2.30pm. £5-£15.50.

Oval House Theatre,

52-54 Kennington Oval. 020 7582 7680.

Viva Maria. An ageing soap star in Rio begins to take on disturbing aspects of her on-screen character while a young Mancunian holed up in an apartment in San Paulo becomes embroiled in a bizarre kidnapping. Taking black comedy to the extreme, this looks at what happens when new world meets old. Opens Wednesday, 7.45pm. £5-£8.

POLKA THEATRE FOR CHILDREN, 240 THE BROADWAY, WIMBLEDON. 020 8543 4888.

The Silver Sword. Classic tale about a group of refugee children who make their way to freedom through war-ravaged Europe. Based on a true story. Sat 2pm/5.30pm, tues 2.30pm, Wed 11am/2.30pm, Thur 2.30pm. £8-£9.50, family discounts available.

Closes November 10.

The Night Before Christmas. Little Jimmy and his pals are drawn into exhilarating adventures when they set out to discover why the world is turning cold on the night before Christmas. Opens November 15 for previews. For ages 6 and over.

Ugly Duckling. Major Mustard's Travelling Roadshow combine puppets, music, story telling and audience participation to cheer up Funky Feathers in this version of the famous fairy tale. For ages 3 to 6. Saturday (Nov 10) 10.45am, 12.30pm, 2.30pm. £6 adults, £5 children.

Putney Arts Theatre,

Ravenna Rd, Putney.

020 8788 6943.

Me And My Girl. Bill Snibson, a working class cockney, suddenly finds himself a member of the aristocracy in this ever-popular musical. Can he adapt to the country life at Hareford Hall and keep his girlfriend, Sally? 7.45pm, mat Sat. £9-£10, part of Wandsworth Arts Festival.

Richmond Theatre,

The Green, Richmond. 020 8940 0088

The Real Thing. Tom Stoppard's dazzling comedy about love and pain. When playwright Henry begins to confuse life and art, things begin to get very sticky indeed. Closes tomorrow, 7.45pm, mat Sat 2.30pm. £8-£21.

Night Of Nights. A Royal Gala Performance before Princess Alexandra. Ronnie Wood, Shane Ritchie, Marti Webb, Vicki Michelle and many others are on the bill for this fundraising extravaganza. All money raised will go to Richmond Museum. Sunday, 7.30pm. £15-£45.

Lord Of The Flies. The innocent games of schoolboys stranded on a desert island take on a horrifying significance as they discover the beasts within themselves. A thrilling adaptation of William Golding's best selling novel. Opens Tuesday, 7.45pm, mats Weds/Thurs 1.30pm. £8-£15.

The Rose and Crown Theatre, 59-61 High Street, Hampton Wick.

020 8296 9100.

Just Deserts. Season of eight new plays from around the world running until November 24. 8pm, £6-£14:

Selection One performed Mon, Wed, & Fri

The Priest And His Love. A holy man must choose between enlightenment or earthly pleasures.

Going To Grandma's. Emotional drama about a man with a dark secret who makes a mysterious visit to his mother.

Walking Out. The story of Bridget and her love for a butcher, Thomas, who is forced to make a decision when the Great War breaks out.

Skin Deep. Satire on modern morals and a cautionary tale for those who would embrace the superficial and ignore the spiritual.

Selection Two performed Tues, Thur, & Sat

The Dark. Drama with a difference as a couple play out the final chapters of their marriage.

Zoo. Political allegory set three years after the collapse of the former Soviet Union.

G.O.D.O.T. Arrives. Two people are charged by a third with the task of naming "IT" but they do not know what "IT" is.

The Last Word. What would your mind do if it thought death might be approaching?

Secombe Theatre,

Cheam Road, Sutton.

020 8770 6990.

The Pirates Of Penzance. The Broadway version of Gilbert and Sullivan's pirate adventure comes to town. Closes tomorrow, 7.30pm, mat Sat 2.30pm. £10-£8.

Cabaret. Famous musical set in a Berlin night club just before the outbreak of World War Two. It follows the emotional ups and downs of singer Sally Bowles with an excellent score by Kander and Ebb. Opens Tuesday, 7.30pm. £8.50.

St Luke's Centre, The Avenue, Kew, 020 8940 1588.

Florence Nightingale. The Q2 Players present this piece about the Lady with the Lamp as told from the point of view of her family, friends and fellow professionals with 12 actors playing 40 roles. Opens Thursday, 8pm. £5-£6.

St Mary Magdalene Hall,

Trinity Road, SW17. 020 8874 8348.

It Runs In The Family. Ray Cooney farce about a doctor whose life disintegrates around, thanks to a long lost son, his wife, boss and a senile patient. Part of Wandsworth Arts Festival, closes tomorrow, 8pm, £5-£6.

Warehouse Theatre, Dingwall Road, Croydon. 020 8680 4060

Witch. A romp through four centuries of womanhood. Susan is on a journey through time, from the lonely countryside where she meets and falls in love with Richard, to the present day meeting a host of angels and the devil along the way. 8pm, £5.50-£11.

Wimbledon Theatre, Wimbledon Broadway 020 8540 0362

Ballet Imaginaire. Debbie McGee returns with Phantom The Ballet, her version of Phantom Of The Opera. Closes tomorrow, 7.30pm, mat Sat 2.30pm, £8-£17

Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's groundbreaking show returns to Wimbledon Theatre. It tells the story of Joseph, his 11 brothers and a coat of many colours including the hit song Any Dream Will Do. Opens Monday, Mon-Thu 7.30pm, Fri-Sat 8pm, mats Tue-Thu 2.30pm, Fri-Sat 5pm, £8.50-£22.

Wimbledon Studio Theatre

Yours Truly Jack The Ripper. 1888 and the infamous Jack The Ripper stalks the streets of London. Out of the dark smog-riddled alleyways of Victorian Whitechapel steps a gas-lit stranger, and a chilling tale of terror unfolds. A rock musical with a difference. Opens Monday, 8pm, mat Sat 3pm. £5.50-£9.

November 12, 2001 12:32