34 stories by "Derek Smith"
Old Red Lion Theatre, London: Christmas fringe shows can be slow burners, but that's not the case with this moving and inventive show from Metal Rabbit Productions. The image that greet…
Like all musical genres, punk and new wave saw an exciting explosion of new musical wheat, combined with an equal ration of chaff. Firmly in the former camp was New York-created Blondie,…
March 12 : Entering Brighton's fabulous Proud Cabaret venue, formerly the Hanbury Ballroom, a building with a 200-year history, you just know you are going to be thoroughly entertained…
King's Head Theatre, London: Ever wondered what really goes on when a group of fortysomething women hit a Butlin's holiday camp to revel in nostalgic tunes, drink the place dry and cop …
Some film directors are seemingly not happy unless every scene is overlaid with pumping music or sickly sweet anthems " after all, soundtracks can make a lot of money on top of the box-offic…
In the current, CGI world of cinema, it's difficult to imagine the sweat that went into the set designs of Ken Adam, who created iconic sets for Bond films including Dr No and Goldfinger, pl…
Beverley Parks, Paignton: The final session of this year's annual showcase couldn't have opened with any more drama, The <b>High Seas</b> pirate-themed attraction mixes…
Beverley Parks, Paignton: It's not often that afternoon showcase sessions are packed, but then again few midday events offer such a generous, complementary buffet. Plus there was also, …
Beverley Parks, Paignton: One thing that Anne George, the MD of Trevor George Entertainments, knows how to do is greet clients in style. Those arriving at Beverley Parks are met by the tower…
Riverside Caravan Centre, Bognor Regis: The final session of this year's showcase at the Riverside boasts two comperes, the first being the always confident Chris Smeed.
Read the full r…
Riverside Caravan Centre, Bognor Regis: Afternoon showcase sessions are notoriously tricky affairs to get right - it is difficult to generate enough interest within the industry to make sure…
Riverside Caravan Centre, Bognor Regis: This agency, run by John and Dot Howe, unlike some has kept faith with presenting an annual showcase, and estimates that it has, to date, presented so…
Garrick Theatre, Lichfield: Given the impressive standard of the acts appearing the previous evening, the final show was eagerly anticipated and with compere Des Coleman as bubbly and chatty…
Garrick Theatre, Lichfield: The Agents Association deserves plenty of plaudits for having managed to get the inaugural National Tribute Awards off the ground, and choosing a pretty ideal, ce…
The Concorde Club, Cranford: Unfazed by the last minute changes to the day's packed schedule and the need to fit in ad hoc sound checks wherever possible, compere Steve Walls was finall…
The Concorde Club, Cranford: On the morning of the John Mills showcase at the multi-purpose Concorde Club, tucked under the flight paths to Heathrow Airport, a crash on the M4 motorway meant…
Flagged up as an insight into how creative professionals make a movie sound as good as it looks, BBC Radio 1's Stories " Secrets of the Soundtracks featured a leading cast of contributors, i…
Criterion, London : Postgraduate drama school showcases are traditionally less well attended by the industry than three-year, full-time graduation productions, so it was highly encouraging t…
Watford Palace Theatre: The final Epic showcase session had 11 acts on the running list, plenty to entertain the audience - a mix of ticket buying locals and a healthy number of industry VIP…
Watford Palace Theatre: Afternoon showcase sessions are notoriously tricky affairs to get right, not least getting enough VIP derrieres on seats at 4pm in the afternoon to make up a healthy …
Watford Palace Theatre: Two great sights met guests arriving for this two-day, three-session Epic 2013 showcase. The first was the venue itself, the glorious 600-seat Edwardian Grade II list…
These days, listeners of radio programmes can be forgiven for taking their diverse, rich but often varied quality of output for granted. However, for those born in the 1940s and 1950s, and e…
Bournemouth Pier - Key West Restaurant: Not so much a case of 'wind beneath my wings,' more a case of severe gusts along the pier, but if the venue where this showcase was taking p…
If you're going to produce an extensive, two-part programme about an iconic music producer, you'd be hard pushed to get anyone more qualified than Nile Rodgers to front it. In the first part…
The Key Theatre (Studio), Peterborough: This is a creative, fun but inconsistently entertaining take on some Aesop tales by fledgling, unfunded, Peterborough-based company Small Nose Product…
