News services were reporting that Saturday Night Fever, the 1977 disco film classic that made a superstar out of John Travolta, is being adapted as a London stage musical, to open in May 1998. As he did the film, Robert Stigwood will produce the musical, which feature songs old and new by the pop group, The Bee Gees.

Playing disco Don-Juan Tony Manero will be Adam Garcia, an Australian singer-dancer who has promised to drop his accent and pick up Brooklynese. "It's not that hard an accent," Garcia said at a London press conference, "but a bit of training is required."

Also at the conference were brothers Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb, who offered a quick rendition of "How Deep Is Your Love" for the assembled. Other tunes in the original 1977 John Badham film included "Stayin' Alive," "Jive Talk," and "Night Fever" -- which was, in fact, intended to be more than just a song title. Said Barry Gibb, "We came up with the original title of "Night Fever," but Robert [Stigwood] said that was too dirty. So we added the Saturday."

Gibb also said Saturday Night Fever would work in the 1990s because "The culture we are in today is looking back at the `70s and saying it is fun."

Even more enticing than the London plans for Fever is Robin Gibb's comment at the conference: he and his brothers "would love to sit down and write a musical ourselves. It is in the back of our minds."