Out and About

All the latest events, reviews and previews brought to you by Damon Smith

DANCE Edward Scissorhands
Following the phenomenal success of his previous dance productions, multi award-winning choreographer Matthew Bourne finally achieves his dream of adapting Tim Burton's 1990 film for the stage. The result is a colourful, haunting, joyous dance-drama set to Danny Elfman's original film score, which proves individuality and personal identity are qualities to be cherished in this age of conformity.

When his inventor father dies, leaving him alone in the world with scissors in place of hands, misfit Edward is welcomed into a close-knit community, where he finds his calling as a hairdresser and topiarist. However, a crush on his hostess' daughter sows the seeds of jealousy and the locals turn against poor Edward.

Edward Scissorhands completes its Christmas run at Sadler's Wells in London on February 5, before embarking on an extensive regional tour to Edinburgh Festival Theatre (February 7-11), Southampton Mayflower (February 14-18), Salford Quays The Lowry (February 21-25) and Norwich Theatre Royal (February 28-March 4).

The production then visits London New Wimbledon Theatre, Cardiff Wales Millennium Centre, Birmingham Hippodrome, Woking New Victoria Theatre, Nottingham Theatre Royal, Glasgow Theatre Royal, Newcastle Upon Tyne Theatre Royal, High Wycombe Swan, Bradford Alhambra Theatre and Milton Keynes Theatre.

Tickets:
Edinburgh 0131 529 6000
Norwich 01603 630000
Salford Quays 0870 787 5785
Southampton 023 8071 1811

or www.ticketmaster.co.uk

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OPERA Opera North
After a glorious opening to the 2006 season at the Grand Theatre in Leeds, Opera North consolidates its position as one of the UK's most imaginative touring companies with a tempting programme of five wildly different operas. Music director Richard Farnes continues his pledge to challenge perceptions of opera as a stuffy art form, breathing new life into the classics.

Farnes conducts Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel And Gretel (Nottingham, February 5; Lancaster, February 16; Gateshead, February 19) starring Julianne Young and Jeni Bern in the leads. Susan Bullock sings the title role in Richard Strauss's epic Salome (Nottingham, February 2; Gateshead, February 10) and Caroline Gawn directs Wyn Pencarreg as the eponymous hero of Mozart's beloved comedy The Marriage Of Figaro. Peter Relton revives Francesca Zambello's acclaimed staging of Puccini's La Rondine and David Pountney directs the first staged British performance of Kurt Weill's satirical operetta Arms And The Cow. Opera North will visit 11 key venues from February to June: Aberdeen His Majesty's Theatre, Belfast Grand Opera House, Bradford Alhambra Theatre, Gateshead The Sage, Hull New Theatre, Lancaster University Great Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne Theatre Royal, Norwich Theatre Royal, Nottingham Theatre Royal, Salford Quays The Lowry and Sheffield Lyceum Theatre.

Tickets:
Aberdeen 01224 641122
Belfast 028 9024 1919
Bradford 01274 432000
Gateshead 0191 443 4661
Hull 01482 226655
Lancaster 01524 594151
Newcastle 0870 905 5060
Norwich 01603 630000
Nottingham 0115 989 5555
Salford Quays 0870 787 5785
Sheffield 0114 249 6000

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SPECIAL EVENT Bath Literature Festival
Bigger than ever, boasting an eclectic and wide-ranging programme of more than 110 literary events, Bath Literature Festival is a jewel in the crown of south west England's cultural scene. This year's celebration, which runs from March 4 to 12, once again embraces various venues through the city - predominantly the magnificent Guildhall - under the aegis of Festival Artistic Director, Sarah LeFanu.

The theme for 2006 is "Home And Abroad" and the festival promises everything from readings, debates and lectures to workshops and films exploring this theme in all its complexity and richness. Political commentators including Clare Short and Timothy Garton Ash will reflect on world affairs, while international writers from afar afield as Russia, Croatia and the USA bring their own unique perspective to the festival.

Top authors including Margaret Atwood, Jane Gardam, Alexander McCall Smith and Jacqueline Wilson appear for the very first time in the picturesque city, alongside other firm favourites including William Boyd, John Carey, Nicci French, Stephen Fry, Joanne Harris, Roger McGough, Gerald Scarfe, Ned Sherrin, Sandi Toksvig and Joanna Trollope.

Tickets:
01225 463362 or www.bathlitfest.org.uk

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MUSIC The Osmonds
Donny Osmond continues to enjoy a huge following in the UK but it's easy to forget that the teen-idol from Utah wasn't part of the original line-up of The Osmonds. In their inaugural incarnation, brothers Alan, Jay, Merrill and Wayne became the teenybopper idols of the early '70s, before Donny and Jimmy joined the ranks. Hits such as "Love Me For A Reason", "Crazy Horses", "Going Home", "I Can't Stop" and "The Proud One" propelled the hit-making family act to the top of the charts on both sides of the Atlantic.

This spring, tuneful siblings Wayne, Merrill, Jay and not-so-little Jimmy (who recently appeared on I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!) venture back to the UK for a series of concerts, performing all of the hits plus solo successes including a new arrangement of "Long Haired Lover From Liverpool". The Osmonds tour includes Portsmouth Guildhall (February 23), Bournemouth International Centre (February 24), Buxton Opera House (February 25), Liverpool Empire (February 27), Oxford New Theatre (February 28), Croydon Fairfield Halls (March 1), Manchester Apollo (March 3), Camberley Lakeside Country Club (March 4), Margate Winter Gardens (March 5), Brentwood Centre (March 6), Ipswich Regent Theatre (March 7), Brighton Centre (March 8), Cardiff St David's Hall (March 9), Nottingham Royal Concert Hall (March 10), Newcastle upon Tyne City Hall (March 11), Edinburgh Playhouse (March 12), Leicester De Montfort Hall (March 13), Southend-on-Sea Cliffs Pavilion (March 14), London Hammersmith Apollo (March 16) and Birmingham National Indoor Arena (March 17).

Tickets:
0871 220 0260 or www.ticketmaster.co.uk

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SPECIAL EVENT 11th Annual Orchid Festival
The Princess of Wales Conservatory at Kew Gardens in Richmond, Surrey hosts the 11th Annual Orchid Festival, a celebration of this most delicate and beautiful flower.

Over a quarter of a million orchids, some flown in from the Far East, create a heady scent from February 5 until March 6 in the conservatory, which will house myriad colourful new designs created by Kew's very own talented horticultural team.

The allure of the orchid is brought into focus by admirers of the flower, including film director Lord Richard Attenborough, who boasts his own orchid collection. Meanwhile, an exhibition entitled Kew's Passion in the White Peaks exhibition space pays tribute to Kew's enduring love affair with the flower.

Tickets:
020 8332 5655