WORCESTER Gilbert and Sullivan Society is on the look-out for artistic types who can bring the amateur dramatics group in to the 21st Century with style.

Members of the society, which started life as The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of Worcester in 1973, are hoping that by the time their next production hits the stage in January, 2005, they will have a new name and a younger, fresher image.

They want someone not only to come up with a catchier name for the society, but also to design a new logo which they can wear with pride on their t-shirts and display on all of their future promotional material.

Vicky McFarlane, a Worcester Gilbert and Sullivan Society committee member, said the current name was a bit of a mouthful and members of the group agreed they needed a shorter, snappier title.

"We really want to freshen up our image," she said.

"We want to be brought bang up to date with modern times and appeal to a wider audience."

Vicky added that the 50 members of the society had held a brainstorming session and come up with two new names - Gasworcs, short for Gilbert and Sullivan Worcester, and WAGS, short for Worcester Amateur Gilbert and Sullivan.

"If anyone wants to design a logo based around these two suggestions then that would be great," she said.

"But we are also appealing to people to come up with their own name which could be even catchier - we are open to all suggestions."

People of all ages are invited to create a new name and logo and send them to Vicky by Sunday, October 31.

The address to send entries to is Worcester Gilbert and Sullivan Society, 7 Trefoil Close, Worcester, WR5 3QR.

The winner will receive £25, two tickets to see the society's production of Pirates of Penzance at Malvern Theatres in January, and the honour of seeing their design in use.

Kitchen sink drama at Rose

ALAN Ayckbourn's dark comedy Absurd Person Singular will be staged at the Rose Theatre in Kidderminster from Monday, October 4 to Saturday, October 9.

The play, performed by The Nonentities, visits three couples in their kitchens on Christmas Eve on three successive years.

Visited first are the lower class but very up-and-coming Hopcrofts in their gadget filled kitchen, anxiously hosting a small party for their bank manager and his wife and an architect neighbour.

Running through this comedy of behind-the-scenes disasters is the story of the advancement of the Hopcrofts to material prosperity and independence, and the decline of the others.

Tickets cost from £6 to £7.50 and are available from the box office on 01562 743745.

Symphony hit big time

THE City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra's Little Big Time Band will be raising the roof of St Martin's Church, London Road, Worcester on Saturday.

The six-piece ensemble will provide a whistle-stop tour through the popular orchestral repertoire along with well known songs from film, television and the pop charts.

Tickets for the concert, which starts at 7.30pm, cost £6 (accompanied under 16s free) and are available from St Martin's parish office.

Theatre treasure

Swan Theatre Amateur Company Children's Theatre present Long John's Treasure tomorrow.

The play, at the Swan Theatre at 10.30am and 11.45am, follows the hunt for Long John Silver's treasure.Will it be Lizzy, Gladys, Gumtree or two inept pirates called Swash and Buckle?

Tickets cost £1.50 and are available from the box office on 01905 611427.