Announcements heralding the return of comic Dave Allen to the West End have more than a touch of Irish about them. For according to the Theatre Royal, Haymarket, Allen’s residency is for a limited period only, but Duncan Weldon, co-presenter with Louis Michaels for Triumph Theatre Productions, takes a more flexible view. “He will certainly be there until Christmas. If he’s doing well and we haven’t got anything else in we might ask him to stay on”, said Weldon. Light entertainment has been given a bite of the West End apple following the reluctance of Overheard stars Deborah Kerr and Ian Carmichael to renew their contracts, Weldon added. Allen previously stage his one-man show in London at the Vaudeville Theatre in 1978. He opens at the Haymarket on November 10.