Upbeat

AFTER Amadeus it was only a matter of time. Who Killed Tchaikovsky? will be at Watermans Arts Centre for its London premiere from Level Five Theatre Company from 8 September. Did he commit suicide under pressure, to suppress a scandal involving one of the Russian royal males? Can that old story about the glass of unboiled water still stand up? Was there a covered-up murder? Tony Peters' play goes in search of an answer, with pianist Robin Colvill contributing live music and giving a recital of his own on 12 September.

GAMELANS are on the loose in the north this month, with a festival of them at the University of York for a week from 21 August under the title 'Striking Out'. Six sets of instruments will be there - Javanese, Balinese and home-made - at the centre of a gathering of performers, composers, teachers and makers. Roger Marsh will be working up a performance for participants with Midland Music Theatre. There's also a project for young people to build a gamelan from recycled and scrap materials.

Meanwhile FEAST, one of the biggest Edinburgh Fringe venues, has a week of early evening performances by an ensemble of Javanese percussion from 15 August, preceded by workshops. This group is called the Gay Melons - not so much striking out, it seems, as coming out.