Part II Finally succeeding in obtaining adequate funding for 1997, this festival, which should be a must on all parents' calendars, rolls around again this January with four programmes featuring international groups.

On the dance front it was a year rather short on quantity: there was no performance by the Bermuda Civic Ballet, and the National Dance Theatre of Bermuda has been concentrating its efforts, after an extended visit by choreographer David Allan in the summer, in putting its best pointe shoes forward for his full-length production of `The Nutcracker' which will open next month's 1997 Bermuda Festival. The School of Russian Ballet presented its biennial pupils' show in the form of a complete ballet, `Princess Lilly and the Thieves' choreographed by teachers Coral Waddell and Katina Woodley and based on a story by artist Elizabeth Mulderig. Apart from Pilobolus, which performed in the Bermuda Festival, there was only one major dance event. By all accounts, however, the presentation of the American Repertory Ballet by the Bermuda Ballet Association in Prokofiev's `Romeo and Juliet' was hailed as one of the best ballet productions seen here in recent years. Dancing the role of the nurse was local resident Ruth Lewis, returning to her old role with her former company for the Bermuda performances.

`Noises Off', a modern comedy of errors by the brilliant British playwright Michael Frayn would hardly leap to mind as a sensible vehicle for any directorial debut. Undaunted, Derek Corlett took on the complexities of directing a cast having to juggle double characterisations of `on' and `offstage' roles, with astonishing confidence and a marvellous eye for comedic detail. Leading an excellent cast was the talented Keith Madeiros, Steve Parkinson, Jane Bridge, Kathi DeCouto and Thomas Saunders. This sparkling BMDS production certainly deserved its ecstatic reception by Daylesford audiences.

Also receiving high marks was the dottily absurd `Lettice and Lovage' by Peter Shaffer. Also scoring considerable success in his directorial debut with this production was Grahame Rendell. He would probably be the first to agree that he was lucky in having Sue Power in the role of Lettice, immortalised by Maggie Smith, and Jo Shane as the repressed Lotte Schoen.

`Arsenic and Old Lace' fared less well, the play itself having dated rather badly in an era when murderous mayhem has become depressingly routine rather than preposterous (as it was in the 1940s) and Christine Barritt directing a cast which, apart from a performance of sustained excellence by Victoria Waddington, was glaringly uneven.

Daylesford made a now unfortunately rare foray into the world of non-commercial theatre with Ariel Dorfman's `Death and the Maiden'. The talented Barbara Jones had apparently long wanted to direct this play which is set in a politically fragile South American country attempting to distance itself from the horrors of military dictatorship. Ideally, she should have attracted Bermuda's best actors from the considerable pool available; as it was, John Thomson, Venetia Lawless and Thomas Saunders did their best but could not carry any of their roles to the required harrowing heights.

In a complete change of mood, BMDS's pantomime `Mother Goose' filled City Hall with an audience avid, and in no way disappointed, by the over-the-top antics of Gavin Wilson and Geoff Yeomans. Over at Pembroke Sunday School, the Bermuda Pantomime Company produced, as the name suggests, a more locally orientated show entitled `The Three Musketeers' by Warren Cabral and directed by Patricia Pogson. This also received a rousing reception, its principal stars being Ed Christopher, Adrian Beasley, Mark Pettingill, Angelo Pimental and the very gifted Daren Herbert singing his way into everyone's hearts as D'Artagnon, the would-be musketeer.

Stage One Productions was chosen as the venue for the world premiere of Audley Haffenden's latest play, `A Buffalo Jumps the Moon'. Familiar to local audiences as the author of `Toussaint' which Stage One brought to Bermuda with Antonio Fargas in the title role, Haffenden has come up with a marvellously allegorical tale which is rooted in Africa but manifested in New York's back streets. Lisa Young excelled in the role of Lili, as did Ayo Johnson as Batman/Lazarus.

A year of theatre study in New York has wrought a remarkable transformation in Kevin Bean, producer (of Kevin Bean Productions) and star actor in William Mastrosimone's gripping drama, `Extremities'. He was fortunate, too, to have the guidance of Patricia Pogson who seemed equally happy to be once again directing a `difficult' play which deals with attempted rape, torture and imminent murder. Lisa Young gave another stunning performance which quite matched Bean's tightrope of terror and farce. The quartet was completed by two of Bean's fellow graduates, Chandra Ratner and Nicole Cerussi, who both turned in quietly effective performances.

There was a fusion of poetry, song and dance with Chameleon Productions' `Waves' at City Hall in August. Author and director Alan Smith chose the relatively unusual medium of verse for this evening of entertainment which mulled over the power of words in human relationships, Aprille Choudhury providing the exhilarating dances. All in all, a valiant personal experiment, but still very much a work in progress and as such, not ideally suited to City Hall. Oh, for a theatre for our aspiring thespians...

In quite a year for anniversaries, the Gilbert & Sullivan Society celebrated its 25th year with a production of `Pirates of Penzance'. Having chosen, as was certainly their prerogative, the Broadway version, which attempts -- fatally, in my opinion -- to parody a parody, too little attention was paid to the considerable musical demands of Arthur Sullivan. This was most unfortunate as outstanding performances were turned in by Gordon Campbell, John Ross and Keith Madeiros.

One of the undoubted highlights of the year was the second Broadway in Bermuda concert staged by Two Island Productions, co-founded by Iva Peele, Sheryl Keller and Beth Dunnington. According to Royal Gazette colleague Raymond Hainey, this show was even better than last year's where "stars of the New York stage joined forces with the best of Bermuda...the resulting cocktail a potent mix indeed''.

The 40th anniversary of the Bermuda Society of Arts produced a year of mixed blessings for the Island's oldest art organisation.

INFLATED LAUGHS -- Fred Garbo and Daielma Santos, whose `The Inflatable Comedy Theatre' was a big hit with Bermuda's children in this year's `Kidfest'.

WRITER'S SUCCESS -- Llewellyn Emery's `Nothin' But a Pond Dog' proved to be a best-seller with locals.

YEAR IN REVIEW REV