Shockheaded Peter, a macabre adaptation of the classic 19th-century children's book "Struwwelpter" ("Slovenly Peter"), will make its West Coast premiere in a production at UCLA's Freud Playhouse, May 11-28. Tickets are now on sale for the show, which features 11 original songs written and performed by London's underground cult trio, The Tiger Lillies. The co-directors are Julian Crouch and Phelim McDermott.

Created and performed by Julian Bleach, Anthony Cairns, Graeme Gilmour, Tamzin Griffin and Jo Pocock, Shockheaded Peter first premiered at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in 1997 and enjoyed 19 sold-out weeks at London's Lyric Hammersmith Theatre. It will travel to Israel, Canada and Australia and northern California this year.

In the spirit of Tim Burton and Edward Gorey, Shockheaded Peter illuminates Heinrich Hoffman's cautionary tales and his horrible cast of disobedient children with a whimsical combination of Grand Guignol, puppetry and Victorian melodrama.

Another provocative theatre piece upcoming at UCLA is Cabin Pressure, performed by the SITI Company, directed by Anne Bogart. Scheduled for April 25-30 it explores theatre's potential to humanize in an age of computers, TV and mega media.

For tickets and information call UCLA at (310) 825-2101 or call Ticketmaster. UCLA's Performing Arts' website is www.performingarts.ucla.edu -- By Willard Manus
Southern California Correspondent