ca-5 Producers of the popular Bermudian rock 'n' roll revue "Time Tunnel'' are considering taking legal action against Sonesta Beach Resort.

Co-producer and director of "Time Tunnel'' Ms Deletta Gillespie told The Royal Gazette the hotel cancelled their contract, which was due to expire at the end of October, eight weeks earlier.

And so far, she said, it had cost group members more than $27,000.

"We had an agreement to work until the end of the season,'' Ms Gillespie said. "They cancelled that contract on September 2. They said the company which owns the hotel wanted the club occupied by Aneesah (Furquan) and Michael Fox renovated and that they had to move them there.'' Time Tunnel, which has a majority Bermudian cast, had received rave reviews since it began in Sonesta's Palm Court Club in May.

The show, which ran on Wednesday and Saturday nights, was produced by Bermudian Mr. Kevin Maybury and Ms Gillespie, his American partner.

It featured music and comedy from the 1950s through the 1970s.

Stressing that they did everything they could to remain at the hotel, Ms Gillespie said: "We even agreed to cut our hours. We were never given the opportunity to do that.'' Time Tunnel contacted the Bermuda Musicians Union, she said. And the hotel offered the group Monday night, the Fox's night off.

But she said because of other obligations, several members of the group could not perform last Monday night.

"We had Kenneth Dill and Lloyd Simmons to negotiate on our behalf,'' she added.

Noting that the group was not paid a basic wage as other entertainers, Ms Gillespie said: "We said we believe in this show so much, we will take the door proceeds, and you (the hotel) take the food and beverage proceeds.'' She explained that they were asking the hotel to compensate them for the cost of the remainder of the season and damages, that is the money lost while the hotel was still undergoing renovations in May and therefore had a 30 to 40 percent occupancy.

"Because of that we went into the hole for the first eight weeks,'' Ms Gillespie said. "We also find out that they did not have any inside advertisements about us. Information that was sent to the hotel in advance was just sitting in an office.'' The group and hotel management were scheduled to meet three weeks ago, she said, but the meeting never happened because general manager Mr. David Boyd was ill.

Other than doing conventions "here and there'', Ms Gillespie said group members -- including 11 performers and two sound technicians -- were losing money daily because they could not sign other contracts.

"We initially asked for roughly $27,000,'' she explained. "But I'm sure it's going to go up because they are dragging their feet. This has prevented me from taking any offers.'' Ms Gillespie -- who has worked for years in theatre in famous US resorts like Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe -- said the group had sought legal advice and were considering taking legal action.

Mr. Dill and Mr. Simmons were also to file a complaint on the group's behalf with the Hotel Employers of Bermuda, she added.