Beatrix Potter brought to life by Royal Ballet Company
ONE
A RECORDING of The Royal Ballet's performance of The Tales of Beatrix Potter is being shown at Harrow Vue cinema.
The one-act show, performed at the Royal Opera House, features dancers dressed to look like the illustrations of the author's animal characters, including Mrs Tiggy-Winkle, Peter Rabbit and Mr Jeremy Fisher.
Adults and children alike will enjoy six of the best-loved extracts: The Tale of Mrs Tiggy-Winkle, The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck, The Tale of Pigling Bland, The Tale of Jeremy Fisher, The Tale of Squirrel Nutkin and The Tale of Two Bad Mice.
This charming production shows off Frederick Ashton's original choreography and music scored by English composer and conductor John Lanchbery.
The music is played by the Royal Ballet Sinfonia, conducted by Paul Murphy.
TWO
A TALK charting the love affair between the King of England and an American divorcée by way of her personal jewellery has been organised by the Edgware and District National Trust Centre.
Speaker David Callaghan's lecture, entitled The Uncrowned Jewels, will discuss the necklaces, brooches, pendants and rings owned by the Duchess of Windsor - Wallis Simpson - and explain their relevance in the abdication of her lover, King Edward VIII.
In April 1987, a two-day auction of the late duchess' jewellery in Switzerland raised £31million and was attended by people from all around the world.
The couple had no children and in her will the duchess left the proceeds of her jewellery collection to the Pasteur Institute in Paris, known for its research into cancer and Aids.
THREE
THE Gilbert and Sullivan musical farce HMS Pinafore is the latest production from Kingsbury Amateur Operatic Society.
The plot of this comic opera revolves around a naval captain's daughter who is in love a common sailor even though her father intends her to marry the First Lord of the Admiralty.
Guest director Roger Slater has embellished the original script with additional dialogue to transform the story into a sideways look at musical theatre and what it takes to get a show on the stage.
FOUR
MISERABLE working conditions and some good old-fashioned camaraderie combine to spark the first industrial action in the Willy Russell-penned musical, The Match Girls.
It documents the real struggle of female employees at Bryant and May's match factory in Bow, east London, to improve their lot during the 1880s.
Egged on by socialist activist Annie
Besant, the labourers won concessions from their employer, creating history in the process and heralding the use of the word 'strike' for workers' walkouts.
Debuting in 1966, the production features lots of toe-tapping tunes that show the girls can have a good cockney knees-up despite their job problems.
WOS Productions - formally Wembley Operatic Society - is performing this show at Ickenham's Compass Theatre between April 29 and May 3.
FIVE
CHECK out one of the ultimate feel-good musicals of all time when Beck Youth Theatre (BYT) performs Oklahoma.
Rodgers and Hammerstein's creation will be performed on April 24 and 25 at the theatre in Grange Road, Hayes.
Following the success of last year's production of Honk!, BYT explores the sparkling story of Curly the cowboy and his fight for the affections of the innocent Laurey.
The show also features a wealth of popular songs, including Oh, What a
Beautiful Morning and People Will Say We're In Love, which are sure to get your feet tapping.
BYT puts on one big show annually and this year's promises to be even more spectacular with a £20,000 budget.
BYT chairman Damian Sandys said: "We wanted to try something very different this year and Oklahoma is great family entertainment.
"Rehearsals have gone really well and, with a cast of 80, we'll be filling the stage, providing the audience with a real visual treat that promises to be extremely entertaining."
For more information call the box office on 020 8561 8371.
