WHAT do a koala bear, a devious chef, and an emerald necklace have in common?

Find out when Blackburn Arts Club presents The Small Hours, a thriller by Francis Durbridge, at the Club Theatre, Gibraltar Street from tonight to Saturday.

Tickets are £5 with concessions available at £3.50 on Tuesday and Wednesday and are available on (01254) 52024 or (01254) 52910.

nA LOVE story unfolds amid war-time drama with wonderful well-known songs, such as Younger than Springtime and There is Nothing like a Dame.

The story in question is, of course, Blackburn Operatics Society's production of South Pacific.

The show opens on Monday, May 10, until Saturday, May 15, at the Oswaldtwistle Civic Theatre.

Performances begin at 7.30 and prices are £5 and £6 for Monday and Tuesday and £7 and £8 for the rest of the week. For ticket information contact (01254) 884765.

nIT'S a send-up of permissive '60s society with plenty of risqu jokes thrown in.

Ribchester Amateur Theatrical Society presents Alan Bennett's Habeas Corpus on Thursday, Friday and Saturday May 13, 14 and 15 in Ribchester Parochial Hall.

Tickets (costing £4) on (01254) 878530 or (01254) 878611 or from Ribchester Post Office.

nTERESA, Mary and Kate meet to organise their mother's funeral. The fact they can't stand each other is the least of their problems in The Memory Of Water - Shelagh Stephenson's acidic black farce which won an Olivier award for best comedy.

The Pendle Borderline Theatre Company will present the play at Colne Municipal Hall from May 13 - 15 at 7.30pm. For details call (01282) 661234.

nBLACKBURN Amateurs stage South Pacific at Oswaldtwistle Civic Theatre from May 10 to 15.